Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals
by Snidne
Summary: The Dark Witch, Selene, has been stopped from taking over Minasa-Ratis. The Tale of Two Sisters has reached the final chapter. And an innocent Item Shop continues to thrive. But for these protagonists, the journey to save the world has only just begun. Can they survive the coming storm? A Fortune Summoners/Chantelise/Recettear crossover.
1. The Wandering Demon

_A/N: Welcome to my latest work! This story will be a bit different in the fact that it will be a multi-chapter epic rather than just a one-shot. Because we honestly do need more stories in these categories. My one and only hope is that I can do these characters justice. With that said, please enjoy.  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 1: The Wandering Demon  
**_

* * *

Arche Plumfield was having a rather pleasant day if one asked her. She had actually managed not fall asleep in math class, was able to answer a question in history and was currently watching her two friends Sana and Stella practicing their magic against one another. Sana seemed reluctant to even try against Stella, who had no reservations in kind.

Roughly one week ago, her school had been attacked by the one who had been known throughout the land as the 'Dark Witch Selene' a mysterious being capable of powerful magicks. She had been on the hunt for rare and powerful elemental stones, the purpose of which was still unknown. Dragging the school into another dimension known as the Dark World had turned the students and teachers alike into stone and it was only thanks to the efforts of Arche and her friends that they had been saved, even though the Dark Witch had managed to escape.

"Come ON! I expect some kind of challenge after everything we went through!" The one yelling was Stella, heir to the Mayberk fortune and company. She was dressed in a fancy dress, her blonde hair done up in pigtails and held in place by ribbons. On her wrist was a bracelet, embedded in which her elemental stone known as Royal Scarlet, an ancient stone with ties to the great Minasa-Ratis herself.

"I'm not really sure about this though," came the rather timid reply of Sana, wearing a blue smock and matching beret. Her elemental stone, called Eolamest, was attached to her staff, as she clutched it to her chest. She had a look of worry on her face.

"Don't be ridiculous," Stella said, giving a small 'tut'. "We can always use the practice, and how else can Arche learn if she doesn't get to witness this?"

"Come on Sana, you can do it," Arche said encouragingly. "I can't really practice you know. I really wish I could though."

"Foo, its ok Arche!" The cheerful voice came from the white-furred creature currently resting on her head, dressed in a festive-looking hat and vest. It had large ears and a long tail that seemed to dance in the wind. Which made sense as the creature was known as the Wind Elemental Chiffon, Arche's partner who was once sealed within her elemental stone known as Silpheed. Chiffon could not remember much of his past, despite the fact that the seal that had been placed on the elemental stone had been lifted for some time. But his new friends were patient with him, assuring that they would be there for if and when his memories returned.

"Yes, yes. What Arche said," Stella said impatiently. "Come now, we won't get any stronger if you don't practice! Now, once more!"

"Eep!" 

* * *

Mr. Plumfield was having a rather normal day. Running an item shop was harder work than what most people might imagine, but it had its charm all the same. The sun was slowly starting to set, and most people in Tonkiness had already finished shopping for the day. He expected his daughter was coming home soon, so it seemed a good time to close up shop. As he was about to close the register for the day, the bell on the door rung as a person entered.

The person was rather unique in appearance, if one could put it politely. It was clearly a man, with dark tanned skin and coal-colored hair. He wore a dark cape with a high collar and red trims, covering a maroon and grey colored shirt and dark pants. He wore square specs over his blood-colored eyes. But easily his most noticeable features were the pointed ears and metal claw-like gauntlets that were clearly his weapons of choice.

Still, despite his appearance, he couldn't just turn him away. "Good evening. Welcome to our humble shop. Can I get you anything?"

"Yes," he said in a deep, smooth voice. "I just need some herbs. About a dozen batches, the best you have." He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a handful of gold coins and placed them on the counter. Mr. Plumfield looked at the amount in wide-eyed wonder.

"This… seems a bit much just for some herbs," he said, though he reached for several bundles of them all the same.

"Yes well… I'm used to a different form of currency than the local kind. I've traveled a long way so I'd like to get some rest soon. Just keep it all."

"No, no, I couldn't do that," he said, taking only what was needed and pushing the rest back to the mysterious traveler. The man looked at the pile of coins and back to the shopkeeper. He couldn't help but feel like the traveler was judging him for something. But without a word, he took the herbs and coins and placed them into his pack.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Both men turned to see the young girl Arche walking through the door, along with her friend Stella.

"Pardon the intrusion," Stella said. "Good evening Mr. Plumfield."

"Ah, welcome home Arche. Good evening Stella. What can I do for you?"

"Dad, dad, Stella invited me over to her house tomorrow! Can I go, please, please, please?"

"Plwease," Chiffon added cutely.

"Haha, ok, ok. I'm sure your mother won't mind so it's fine. Make sure you behave yourself, ok?"

"Of course!"

"Well, that settles that," Stella said. "By the way, who are you? And do I have something on my face?" It was then that Arche realized that the man before them had been staring at them during the entire exchange. Chiffon nervously hid behind Arche as he watched the stranger.

"Hpmh. As if I have time to waste on people like you. Thank you for the items." With that, the man walked out the door without a backwards glance.

"Wha-? How dare he! What a rude person," Stella exclaimed, offended by the man's attitude. Never before had she been so glaringly and blatantly disrespected.

"Calm down Stella, I'm sure he didn't mean it," Arche said trying to pacify her friend. "Who was that dad?"

"Oh just a traveler. His appearance would suggest that much."

"Well, in any case, I should be getting back to the manor. I can't have Rowen getting worried about me. I shall be here tomorrow meet with you and Sana, so be ready. That means no sleeping in, got that?"

"No problem!"

"Yup! I'll wake up Arche myself!"

"Chiffon!"

After the exchange, Stella left the shop to which she immediately frowned and started thinking. That man from before was strange, and not in the good way. He definitely seemed like the type that would be up to something.

Unknown to them, though, the man was also thinking about their encounter as he rented a room at the local inn. _That was definitely an Elemental, _he thought to himself as he rested in bed. More importantly, he realized one that wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. It was only a secondary goal, considering that he didn't expect to find one way out in this middle of nowhere town such as this. He was here for an entirely different reason after all, but he wouldn't question his luck all the same. Still…

Knowing his own, as some would put it, lack of delicacy in these situations, things would likely escalate quickly. While he was getting better with interacting with others, he still couldn't fully trust many people. And he knew that he couldn't let that girl, whom the Elemental seemed attached to, get in his way. If worse came to worse he would have to fight. He gave a deep sigh. He doubted she would ever find out, but he hoped all the same that Recette would forgive him… 

* * *

Arche hummed to herself as she set her headband on. She was dressed in her usual clothes and strapped her sword to her back as always. She never went anywhere without it. What good was a magical swordswoman without her sword? "Morning Chiffon! Are you ready to go?"

"Good morning Arche! Foo, let's go!"

Rushing downstairs and with a quick goodbye to her parents, Arche headed to the town square to meet with her friends. She was excited to see Stella and Sana waiting for her in front of the inn, apparently talking about something. "Hey guys! This is so exciting! So are we gonna head to Stella's house right away? Cause I was thinking we could-."

"Arche for the love of all things holy can you not ramble," Stella interjected. "And we do have a plan. We're going to school."

"Wha-! But I thought we had today off…"

"We do. But um… Stella said that she saw something kind of shady…"

"Yes. Arche, do you remember that horribly rude person from yesterday?" Arche tried to think back to yesterday, but was drawing a blank. After a few minutes passed, Stella yelled out, "From your shop! The man there!"

"Oh, you mean that traveler guy?" Stella resisted the urge to slap her hand over her face. Sometimes she was really frustrated on how dense her classmate could be at times. "What about him?"

"Stella said that she saw him head to the school this morning," Sana explained.

"Right and that just screams suspiciousness!"

"But isn't our school supposed to be kinda famous or something? Maybe he just wants to see the sights?"

"Think about it," Stella said, frustration creeping into her voice. "Not that long ago that Dark Witch showed up and now some suspicious foreigner is heading to the school on a day no one is supposed to be there. We must investigate," she finished with zeal.

"Muu… well I don't really get it, but it sounds like a fun adventure! I'm in!"

With that, the three turned to the path leading to Minasa-Ratis. The path was normally littered with minor monsters, mostly slimes that could easily be outrun by the students and even defeated with some minor effort. Arche and her friends were able to bypass them all easily, making haste towards their school.

Once they reached it, Arche and Stella recognized the man from the item shop looking over the entrance to the school, studying it but not entering. The three of them quickly hid behind some trees to try figure out what he was doing here. Soon enough the man began to talk to himself. "I see… so I was right. Even though it's been awhile, there are definitely traces of dimensional nexus magic being used. And this signature… it's definitely hers. Just what in the world was Selene doing?"

"I knew it," Stella said keeping her voice down. "He's definitely up to something."

"He mentioned this Selene though. Who's that," Arche questioned.

"That's the Dark Witch," Stella said trying to keep from yelling.

"But... but why would this person know her," Sana asked.

"Shhh… keep quiet."

The man gave a sigh. "Damn… well, there is nothing left here. No way to reaching her now. Well, not that it matters in the end. For now though…" The man turned around and shouted out, "You three can come out now! I know your there!"

"Wha-? How did he?"

"Looks like there is no use hiding it anymore," Stella said, as they made themselves visible. "Alright, who are you? And why are you here?"

"Hmph. Who I am, and my business, are none of your concern." He recognized the two girls from the shop yesterday but the third one was a new face. "However, this does lead me to a pressing matter at hand." He pointed to Arche. "Surrender the Elemental to me."

"What? Why do you want Chiffon," Sana asked surprised as the young Wind Elemental hid behind Arche.

"That is none of your concern. If you let me have him, I promise no harm shall come to him or you."

"Arche… I'm scared. Something about him fweels… wrong."

"Chiffon…" Arche steeled her resolved and drew her weapon. "Hey! Leave Chiffon alone!"

"If you want an Elemental so badly go and find one yourself," Stella added, raising her dagger and preparing her magic. Sana held up her staff as well.

"I'd rather this not end in violence. But don't think I'm not above it!" With that, he charged forwards, extending his claws to strike. The three were surprised at his speed, but Stella reacted first.

"Fire Wall!" A wall of flames appeared between Arche and the man, though to the three's surprise, he was able to stop himself and put back some distance between them. Arche pressed forwards, passing through her ally's flames unharmed with a fierce battle cry as she attacked with her sword. The man was able to parry the strikes almost effortlessly. "Chaser!" Arche pulled back just as four fireballs emerged heading straight for the man.

"Hmph." Drawing upon his own magic, he quickly summoned four, one-eyed bat-like creatures who each took a single fireball before being defeated, protecting their master. "Pesky annoyance. Dark Swarm!" He raised his hand to them and immediately a swarm of shadowy bats launched out at them. Sana quickly took to the front.

"Shield!" A transparent barrier surrounded her as the bats collided with it, dispersing afterwards. The blow was weakened, but it still managed to take a lot out of her and the shield was down at the end. "He's… strong!"

"I know. Arche, distract him! I have an idea!"

"Got it!" The swords girl charged, but this time the man was ready to meet her halfway. Both struck, with Arche using every last bit of her strength to parry the blows that came her way. Throughout the exchange though, she couldn't help but feel something was wrong. Having gone on many adventures and learning the way of the sword, Arche was able to feel certain things about fighting her opponents. And while this was clearly an opponent that would take everything she had to beat, she couldn't help but feel there was something off about him.

Instinct and synchronized movements through their many adventures together was what pushed Arche away, as Stella had finished preparing, managing to get close. "Eat this! Explosion!" The man looked surprised, letting out a startled cry of pain as his body was engulfed by the blast of Fire Magic. The blast had singed some of his clothes, arms crossed over his face as he glared at the two. But before he could say or do anything, a torrent of water came rushing at him, knocking him back and off his feet.

"Alright! Nice work Sana," Arche praised. The young water mage smiled, clearly embarrassed. "Did we get him?"

"I think so. Alright, see here," Stella exclaimed, "You're going to talk about what you know of the Dark Witch. Unless of course, you still need more persuading. To which my sword-happy friend here will oblige."

The man said nothing, simply still lying on his back. "Uh, Stella, I think we might have hit him too hard," Arche said.

"I must retract my earlier observations." The three looked surprised to see the man casually getting up, brushing dust off his clothes. "Congratulations, the three of you have succeeded in angering me." He focused for a moment before letting out a fierce cry, dark energies swirling around him. Even from a distance, the power spike was enough to push the three girls back slightly.

"What power! This isn't normal at all!"

"It seems like I can no longer hold back. Fret not though, I won't kill you." He dashed forwards, even faster than before, and instinct had Arche bring her sword up to defend mere seconds before impact. It wasn't nearly enough though, as she was sent flying back, her sword knocked from her grip as she let out a cry of pain.

"Arche!" The man gave no quarter, directing his gaze to Sana. "Shield!" The man raised his hand and several bursts of fire shot out, destroying her shield and striking her back. Stella could only look in shock. She stepped back fearfully, trying to focus her magic. But the terror that the man was inspiring right now made it impossible to concentrate.

"You asked for my name, didn't you?" He rose up his claw, his entire body still pulsing with dark energies. "I am the Half-Demon Griff. Remember it… and tremble."

He brought his claw down.


	2. A Demon's Tale of an Item Shop

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 2: A Demon's Tale of an Item Shop**_

* * *

Chiffon the Wind Elemental was frightened. And rightfully so. A mysterious man had appeared who wanted to take him away from Arche, his best friend in the whole world. Naturally Arche and her friends attempted to fight him off. Normally, they would start by having Arche use the power of her elemental stone, the power of Unison, to merge together. The fact that she hadn't though spoke volumes about how much she was worried about him being taken.

Of course, it appeared that they had won, but the man, who revealed himself to be a Half-Demon named Griff, unleashed a dark power and soundly defeated the girls. Chiffon was rubbing against Arche, trying to shake the girl to wake. "Arche! Plwease get up!"

"Don't bother," Griff said, walking towards them. He was cleaning his glasses, the dark power within him having returned to its dormant state. "Right now you should be grateful I freed you from her oppression."

"Wha-? No, Arche is my fwiend! And you hurt her!" Griff seemed taken aback by this, but shook his head.

"Don't be fooled. Humans are all capable of taking advantage of others. I've seen it happen before, far too many times." He raised his clawed hand. "Come to me now. I have need of your power."

"No! Stay away!" Chiffon tried to summon some kind of magic to defend himself with, but if anything had happened, it showed no effect on Griff. "Arche, plwease get up!"

Griff looked on in silence. The Wind Elemental was obviously young, and clearly it knew little about how cruel the world could be, and how cruel that humans could be. But he seemed honestly concerned for the young girl. It surprised him really.

"Leave… leave Chiffon alone… you bully…"

"Arche!"

"Persistent, aren't you," Griff said. "I could easily end your life, right here and now if I wished. Shouldn't you beg first?"

"No way," Arche said, struggling to stand. "Besides, you said you wouldn't do that. I've fought a lot of enemies before, and I can tell… it was never your intention from the beginning."

"Arche?"

"It's strange… but I feel like… deep down, you're not as bad as you seem." Griff's eyes widened as he reflexively took a step back. His thoughts wondered to a time long ago, when another young female had also surprised him with her words.

"_Here you go Griff!"_

"_This is… this cannot be nearly as cheap as you are selling it to me as."_

"_Hehehe. Well, it's your first time shopping here as my friend! So of course I can afford to make it a little cheaper."_

"_Your… friend?"_

"_Well, yeah! I told you right? I'll always think of you as a customer, so-."_

"_Yes, yes, I remember. I did swear, after all."_

Arche swayed and fell forwards, to which Griff immediately reached forward and caught her. "Arche! Oh no, Arche be ok!" Griff gave a deep sigh, knowing that he had messed up big time. He really, really hoped that Recette could forgive him…

* * *

Arche awoke in a bed, looking up groggily at a rather familiar ceiling. _This is… The nurse's office?_ Her whole body felt heavy, though rested, as she sat up in bed. "Arche!" Arche turned in time to see Chiffon fly into her chest, eyes watery with tears. "I was so worried! Arche!"

The swords girl wrapped her arms around him in a hug, holding him close. "You're ok too Chiffon! I'm glad."

"Looks like you finally woke up," came the voice of Stella as she walked into the room with Sana. "Goodness, you certainly like to sleep."

"I'm glad you're feeling better Arche," Sana said with a relieved smile.

"Umm… sorry to worry you guys though," Arche said before a look of surprise crossed her features. "Oh right! What happened to that guy?"

"Looks like you are awake at last." Arche turned to the doorway to see the man, Griff, standing there. "It seems we have come across on the wrong foot."

"You! What are you doing here? And which foot did you start with? Cause I usually like to start with my right…"

Griff pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes in frustration. "Please tell me she isn't always like this."

Sana laughed nervously. "Well, you see… Arche is…"

"No, don't even bother. I have enough problems dealing with one airhead I know," Griff said, taking a chair and sitting down in it. "Besides, I believe I owe you an explanation."

"Yes that's right," Stella said standing to her full height. "You have the gall to attack us, try to steal an Elemental and even worse, rudely ignore me, so you better have a good explanation for it all!"

"Yes. Well, to make a long story short, I'm trying to save the world." Predictably, only silence greeted him for about three minutes before a collected 'What!' from the three girls rang out into the room, causing Griff to wince and rub his ears. "Blast it, don't do that!"

"Mr. Griff, does that make you a hero? I've never met a real live hero before," Arche said with stars in her eyes.

"S-save the world?"

"I must admit, I don't see you as the type…"

"Don't be mistaken, I'm no hero," Griff said, shaking his head. "To be perfectly honest, I rather dislike most of humanity. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact such a result would ruin my own goals I wouldn't hesitate to allow it to happen."

"That sweems really mean," Chiffon said disapprovingly.

"So then why are you doing this then," Stella asked.

"Because it would be bad for demon-kind as well," he said, adjusting his glasses. "Demons have grown weak over the years. We have lost our pride as fearsome creatures that were the enemies of humans. I want to restore that." He looked at his hand, palm opened as if he was staring at something only he could see. "That warrior spirit, the power to challenge anyone and anything that would get in our way. I want our kind to return to the height of its power. Few demons share my goals, and even fewer do anything to make them a reality."

"Is that really… ok," Sana asked, uncomfortable with the revelation.

"That sounds completely selfish! Honestly, what exactly are you implying? You talk like you want to be some… some… Lord of Darkness or something!" Griff slightly winced at that expression. He really couldn't help it after all. _'Really? A Lord of Darkness in this day and age? People will just laugh!'_ He couldn't help but let out a groan as he remembered Recette's words.

"I… kinda understand." Arche's words surprised the group, Griff included.

"Wha-? Arche you can't seriously agree with this person," Sana said worrying for her friend.

"No, no. It's wrong and I know it is. But… well, I kind of went through the same thing with my dad. So I know how he feels anyway," Arche said wistfully. Her father had taught her everything she knew about swordsmanship, telling her stories about his time as a Royal Guard, up until his accident involving some monster of some sort. She was never given all the details about it, even now, but her father had changed that day. He stopped teaching her and no longer encouraged her adventurous spirit. He had become far too overprotective of her, and only recently had he began acting more like his old self.

Griff was more or less the same, except it involved an entire race of beings. And though Arche would certainly argue that he was attempting to go about it the wrong way or even for the wrong reasons, crossing blades with him revealed to her many things that he didn't have to say. Her father told her once that sometimes you can truly understand your foes just by fighting them. It rarely happened, usually only when two fighting spirits with something to prove were on the line. And she understood that Griff wasn't really that bad a person deep down. But for the sake of his people, he would become the outcast, the villain. He would bear the animosity of the world if it meant achieving what he thought would be the best for the demons.

Griff remained silent throughout this exchange. _First Recette, then you… I wonder what it is about you people…_ Griff had met many, many humans in his life. Most of the time, he was rather disgusted with their actions, always seeking out the ugliest sides of people to spur on his desire to see the demons rise and once more fight against mankind. Every human he encountered, was just another justification for his cause, a reason to believe that what he was doing was right.

But then he met Recette and everything changed. No longer could he see humans in terms of only black and white. The grey had been opened to him, and though it did not dampen his desire to see demon-kind rise up again, no longer did it truly motivate him either. He simply couldn't use the methods he thought would work, but he had no other paths opened up to him to achieve his goals. Only to himself, he could admit that he didn't have the desire to see the end of humanity anymore. True, he would probably never like humans and at best only tolerate them to an extent. But he could no longer see himself as a killer, an instigator of terror and destruction.

But he vowed to still find a way. Even if it meant searching his entire life, he vowed to become the hero to demon-kind as the one who would bring back the prosperity of their race.

"So Mr. Griff," Arche said interrupting his thoughts, "why do you need Chiffon then?"

"And you should still tell us about what you know of the Dark Witch," Stella added.

"Very well," Griff said. "I will start from the beginning. I came from a far off land, from a town called Pensee…"

* * *

_-Ring!-_

"_One minute," came a melodic voice from the back of the store that Griff had entered. The store was known as the item shop called Recettear and was becoming a well-known establishment in the town of Pensee, where adventurers came to make their fame and fortune. Griff had no such desires of those things, though the Adventurer's Guild here was a decent source of income for him since he did know how to fight. Lately though, it seemed he was coming here more and more often for just about all his needs. The place didn't specialize or discriminate on what it sold, so it was a decent place to get just about anything you wanted, provided they had it in stock._

_Coming from the back room were the two owners of the store, a young teen female wearing a simple patterned dress, with brightly colored ribbons in her brown hair and a silvery-grey haired fairy who wore a more conservative looking shirt and skirt. The girl was holding some boxes and set them down on a nearby counter. "Welcome to Recettear, how can I- oh! Griff, what a surprise to see you here!"_

"_Indeed. I trust you are here to purchase something rather than stand around and brood."_

"_I can choose to be wherever I wish to be, Fairy," Griff said rather rudely, not bothering to call the fairy by her proper name. The two of them naturally seemed to clash with one another. "As it so happens, I do in fact wish to purchase something. Why else would I be here?"_

"_Oh well… you know you usually come a bit later than this. You do all your shopping at night and the sun is barely setting." Indeed, it was much earlier than Griff would have liked to be out and about. He tended to avoid walking around town during the day. Not that he couldn't do it, but he preferred to keep his contact with others to a minimum._

"_Yes, well, I have business to attend to outside of Pensee, so I figured I should get going as soon as I could," he said, handing over a piece of paper to the girl. The fairy, Tear, looked it over._

"_It seems we have all of these items in stock…"_

"_So you're going on a trip then," Recette asked as she moved about the shop and picked out the items that Griff requested. "Is it to like some super-secret demon meeting place thing?"_

"_No," he said, keeping his answers short and to the point. "Though if you must know, I'm actually leaving the continent."_

"_EH!?"_

"_I… am confused as well. What could you possibly have to do that requires you to leave the continent? It isn't something stupidly dangerous is it," Tear asked suspiciously._

"_I don't know why you bother to ask, Fairy. You should know as well as I that I won't tell you."_

"_Considering your reputation, I would think I'd have a reason to be worried. This isn't going to turn into like what happened at the tower, is it?"_

_Griff scoffed, turning his head away. "Please. I already learned from that mistake the first time. I am not so foolish as to repeat it."_

"_Well, I guess as long as it's not dangerous," Recette said, bringing the items to the counter to tally up the total. "Still, I'll miss having you around."_

"_I'll try to contain my disappointment," Tear said sarcastically._

"_Charming."_

"_Aw, see you do care," Recette said cheerfully, causing both demon and fairy to shudder. "Well, anyway, the total comes out to-."_

_Just then the sound of the door being slammed open was heard, the ringing of the bell above the door echoing out. "Owner! Servant! I request emergency provisions, on the double!" The newcomer looked to see everyone staring at him. He blinked a few times before his eyes narrowed towards Griff. "You! What are you doing here?"_

"_Geez Caillou, you could be gentler with your entrances." A second person appeared, this one much taller than the other, as he gazed into the shop. "Hey Recette, Tear! Oh and Griff as well? What a nice surprise."_

_The two to enter the establishment were the child magician prodigy Caillou and the Priest/Monk Elan. Caillou wore a green sorcerer's robe, holding a staff that was nearly as tall as he was. Elan was wearing a plain, short-sleeved shirt that exposed his rather muscular arms and loose-fitting black pants. And where Caillou was scowling at the demon, Elan offered a friendly smile._

"_I was not aware you could dictate where I can and cannot be," Griff said icily. Recette looked nervous. Caillou was never one to watch what he said. In many ways, it showed how much a child he still really was, despite his advanced magical knowledge._

"_So Caillou, you needed something?"_

_Caillou turned his attention back to Recette for a moment, composing himself once more. "Ah yes. I require some things for a journey. Inept as you might be being the cashier jockey; I trust you can provide the necessary materials."_

"_I. Am. The. OWNER!" It was the common argument the two had, as Caillou found it hard to believe that someone who could be as airheaded as Recette was at times could be the owner of the store. It gave Griff a smirk seeing this._

"_Relax Recette, he's just having fun," Elan said ruffling the child's hair playfully. "Besides which, I'm going to need some traveling supplies too."_

"_Can you even afford it," Tear asked eyeing the monk critically. "I mean, just yesterday Louie was talking about how much you put on your tab at the bar the other night."_

"_Hey come on, I can have money when I know I need it," he said, clearly not wanting to be reminded of his less than reputable spending habits._

"_So… why is everyone suddenly going on a trip," Recette asked. Caillou looked to her like she had grown a second head._

"_Of course… someone like you wouldn't know. If you must know, the Magic Council has called upon all available magicians in the area to discuss a big problem. The power of the Elementals is weakening." Recette looked confused._

"_Well, you know if I feel down, I usually just have a snack. Like some walnut bread. Oh, or candy!"_

"_Once again, the nonsense you spout makes me question how you would have lasted without the fairy to anchor you down," Griff said. It shocked Recette a bit, considering that in his silence she had forgotten he was still here. "Beings attuned to magic can sense these things quite easily. Just ask your little fairy." He leveled a gaze to Tear. "You must have certainly known about this for some time now, correct?"_

"_Eh! Tear, is that true? Why didn't you say anything?"_

"_Er… well, I didn't really think…"_

"_Because it has nothing to do with you, silly girl," Griff continued. "Do not think someone like you has the power to change or fix something of this magnitude."_

"_Griff… that's just mean."_

"_Sorry Recette, but I actually do agree with Griff on this one," Elan said to her surprise. "Well, perhaps I wouldn't have said it with those words but… well, this isn't something that you can just hire an Adventurer to help you with, like that time with Arma."_

"_My memory serves me well, and I know you don't have magical talents Elan," Tear said, looking them over. "So how are you related to this?"_

"_Ah, well, I decided that I should visit my old master. He usually has some good advice and he's rather well informed on things. I figured it couldn't hurt." _

"_Aw, this place will be so lonely without you guys."_

"_Indeed. The loss of two valued customers and Elan will certainly affect the profits of the shop." Elan looked dejected at the, admittedly, cheap shot against him while Griff merely scoffed. "Oh please. Despite our… history with you, so long as Recette invites you in and you do actually buy things, you are still a customer and shall be treated as such."_

"_Hey come on… I buy things… sometimes," Elan said dejectedly._

"_Our cheapest goods. When they are on sale. Honestly I would expect a grown man to be wiser with money management than a child…"_

"_Haha, she got you good Elan," Caillou said slightly rubbing it in. The two were considered friends having known each other for some time, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to seek some revenge for having the older man treating him like a kid._

"_If we are done here…"_

"_Oh right! So um, the total price is…"_

* * *

"…and that's about it. I came here, looked around a bit, found you three," Griff said finishing his tale.

"Wow… to think there are so many other places out there," Sana said.

"I can't believe you know a real live fairy," Arche said excitedly, to which Griff pinched the bridge of his nose again.

"Unbelievable…"

"Arche, please tell me that isn't the only thing you got out of that," Stella said somewhat dismayed. "So I assume that the reason that you came over here has to do with the Dark Witch?"

"Correct. Considering she is also a demon, I came looking. But it appears she has long gone. And though my initial journey led me to find her, I instead found something else. The Wind Elemental may hold a clue into the problems of the weakening Elementals."

"Really? So you're saying that Chiffon is really important?"

"Foo, I'm flattered…"

"In a sense. That's why I need him to come back with me to Pensee. As much as I don't like it, the magician might know more if he saw an actual Elemental."

"Wow! You hear that Chiffon, we're gonna be heroes," Arche said excitedly.

"No." The strict finality in Griff's denial stopped all of them. "I only require the Elemental. The rest of you, especially you," he said pointing to Arche, "are not welcome."

"Hey! No way, if Chiffon goes then I'm going to," Arche said puffing out her cheeks in frustration.

"Arche, please think rationally about this," Stella said. "We cannot just go with this person, no matter what he says. Even if he is telling the whole truth, which I sincerely doubt, this is far more than one of your silly adventures. We are talking about some pretty powerful forces at work here."

"Plus, we can't just skip school like that. Not to mention what our parents might think about letting us go," Sana added.

"But… but I can't just let Chiffon go by himself. What if something happened to him and I'm not there!"

"Arche…"

"If… if Chiffon has to go, then I'm going too! I'm not going to-."

"Wake up!" Griff's yell startled them all as he stood, eyes blazing with anger. "This is not some game to be played! We are talking about what could possibly be the fate of the world!" He turned to face Chiffon who looked startled at the intense look the demon was giving him. "Given what I have witnessed, I will not force you to come with me. However, we are dealing with a gravely important situation. It would be in everyone's best interest if you came along with me. I will be staying in town for the next few days, and then I must return. If you decide to come with me, then find me at the inn. You have until then to decide."

And with that, he turned and left them to their thoughts.


	3. Fated Decision of the World

_A/N: I hope everyone who has been diligently reading this has had a good holiday! 2015, here we come! I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. Thanks for being patient everyone!  
_

* * *

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 3: Fated Decision of the World**_

* * *

"Yum! That was a great dinner Stella!"

"It was really nice."

"Mhm! But of course. As if I wouldn't have spared any expense with guests in the house."

The three girls and Chiffon were currently at Mayberk Manor, having enjoyed the well prepared meal that the manor's private chef presented to them. Chiffon was resting on the bed that would be his and Arche's to sleep on, rubbing his belly that was stuffed with food. It reminded him of the last time they had a sleepover, though this time it would definitely turn out better considering the last time it had ended up in a ghost hunt.

Though Stella was shy in admitting it, she did think of Sana and Arche as her friends. Of course, inviting them over would just be a good reason to show off her wealth and status that her family got to enjoy, which is what she convinced herself she was doing. But in honesty, she really did like spending time together with them, even if she didn't want to say it aloud.

Despite the detour with Griff, the girls had made it to the manor with some time to spare before sundown. Though his ultimatum to Chiffon was still present, they would not let it ruin the good time they were meant to have. Now though, it seemed to be a looming weight ready to crush them.

Arche would have none of it though. Grabbing a pillow, she held it up proudly before declaring "Pillow fight!"

Stella was less than amused. "Now see here Arche, those pillows were made with the finest-oof!" Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by Arche bopping her on the head with the pillow she was holding.

"Come on Sana, grab a pillow and join in!"

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea Arche…"

"Aw come on, what fun is a sleepover without a pillow fight?"

"We can have a perfectly fun night without having to resort to such barb- oof!" She was silenced again by another attack from Arche, causing her to grab a pillow for herself. "That's it! Arche Plumfield, prepare to be pillowed!"

The two continued to pillow fight, Arche laughing as Stella expertly fending off her blows. Sana merely spectated as Chiffon slowly drifted off to slumber, heedless of the noise around him. The moon's glow was the only testament to the three girls' noise as they enjoyed their blissful days…

* * *

"_Chiffon… Chiffon, come here."_

"_Foo?" Chiffon looked around. He appeared to be inside a cave, one that looked rather familiar to him, though he could not quite place where he had seen it. "Hello? Arche, are you there?"_

"_Chiffon… please come, Chiffon. Hurry now." The voice calling his name was soft and melodic, instantly comforting him. It wasn't Arche, Sana, or even Stella calling to him. He didn't know who was calling him, but something about the voice was very familiar to the Elemental. Looking about, he floated ahead, deeper into the cave. He wasn't sure where he was going, but something inside him told him that he could trust the owner of the voice._

_A bit deeper in, and Chiffon could see the back of what looked like a beautiful young lady. She was staring at a set of doors, long golden hair draped across her back. She wore what looked to be a gown of some sort, a soft baby blue color that hugged her frame. She turned to face Chiffon, but for some reason, the details of her face were blurred, unfocused. "Um… were you calling me?"_

"_Silly, of course I was," she said, holding up an Elemental Stone. Chiffon recognized it as the one that Arche now possessed, Silpheed. Which meant…_

"_Master," Chiffon cried out, zooming towards her._

"_Chiffon… I'm glad. Chiffon, please listen to me. I need to go and do something. It's very important, you understand?"_

"_Important? Master, is something wrong? Did I do something bad?"_

"_No, no," she giggled, petting the head of her young ward. "It's just… what I am about to do is very dangerous. So I need you to protect this," she said, holding up the Elemental Stone he was bound to. "Can you do that for me, Chiffon?"_

"_Foo, of course! Chiffon on guard duty!"_

_The young woman let out a laugh, but her face looked somber. "Chiffon, listen… I might… not come back."_

"_What? No, Master, you have to come back! Plwease, don't go!"_

"_It's ok, Chiffon. Even if I don't return, one day I'm sure, someone will find this stone. A very important person, who will be your closest friend." Chiffon looked somewhat sad at this, but hopeful too._

"_My… fwiend?"_

"_Yes. A very important friend you will cherish. Chiffon, I want you to remember one thing. No matter what happens, always trust in your friend. Believe in them. I know one day the two of you will be the best of friends."_

"_O-ok…"_

"_Good. Now, Chiffon, one more thing before we part." The young woman rested her hands on Chiffon's head. "I need to send the next one a message…"_

_Suddenly everything faded to white. Chiffon looked around, not seeing anything. He felt scared for a moment. "Wow!" Chiffon jumped at the sound of the voice, as he turned about in all directions to search for the source. That voice was also familiar and also resonated within him._

"_Arche!"_

_Suddenly a blinding white light enveloped him…_

* * *

"Chiffon? Chiffon, wakey wakey. It's morning."

"Foo…? Ah…" Chiffon slowly opened his eyes, looking about. "Um… morning Arche… the room looks bigger…"

"Silly, we spent the night at Stella's house, remember?" Chiffon slowly remembered the events of last night. The tasty food, the comfortable bed. The dream.

"Dweam," Chiffon said excitedly to Arche's shock. "Arche, Arche, I had a dream! I think it was a memory!"

"Eh! Really, a memory? Are you sure?"

"I think so…"

"Then we gotta tell Sana and Stella!" The two quickly made their way downstairs where Sana and Stella were already seated in the dining room, a hot breakfast for all of them waiting. Sana smiled to Arche in greeting, but Stella looked annoyed.

"There you are. I told you that breakfast was waiting and I prefer not to eat it cold, thank you very much!"

"Sorry Stella. Oh, but get this! Chiffon says he finally remembered something!"

"Really? That's great Chiffon," Sana said excitedly, happy for the young Elemental.

"My, my. That is indeed something worth celebrating. Go on then, what have you remembered," Stella asked. The three girls looked to Chiffon expectantly, to which he scrunched his face up trying to remember the fading dream.

"Um… there was a pwetty woman… and um… she said something." Chiffon tried hard to remember what it was she said. "I think it was… something about going away?" He frowned a bit. That part seemed to make him sad. "Oh, and that I would meet a great fwiend! And I met Arche," he finished happily, floating up and about.

"Interesting," Stella said, taking a bite of toast and looking thoughtful. "Well, if we assume that the woman in Chiffon's memory is in fact Minasa-Ratis… But going away? Why?"

"Um… I don't know. I don't remember…"

"Well, that's just mean," Arche said angrily taking a bite out of her eggs. "I'd never abandon Chiffon!"

"Maybe she was going to do something dangerous," Sana suggested, holding her glass of juice up. "It would make sense that she wouldn't want something bad to happen to Chiffon." Stella frowned. While it did make sense, something still didn't add up. Why would someone of Minasa-Ratis's caliber not take the very stones she made with her on a dangerous mission? She could easily protect them and they would only benefit her with their power.

The only answer seemed to be that she was worried these stones would fall into the wrong hands. But what exactly could have the power to stand up to someone like her, one of the greatest sorceresses of her time? Stella could only recall the power of the Dark Witch, and more recently, the mysterious man named Griff. Both of them clearly had power on another level than they did, even considering the fact they didn't know how to fully utilize the powers of the stones they possessed. Then of course, was the mysterious voice that had ordered the Dark Witch's retreat. It was something that she obeyed, which meant that it had to be even more powerful than her.

"Well, I suppose that is that then," Stella said. She had theories to be sure, but without more to go on, she couldn't voice them just yet. "I suppose we should wait to see if Chiffon remembers anything else. Then maybe we can piece the mystery together."

"Yes! Super Detective Arche, back on the case!"

"Oh please, not this again," Stella said while Sana merely giggled. The four of them continued to enjoy their breakfast and make plans for the day. All the while though, a deep seated worry continued to build…

* * *

It was late at night, and the town of Tonkiness was fast asleep. However, for one, an important decision was to be made. From the third floor of the item shop where the Plumfield family made their home, a window was opened. Flying out of it, Chiffon nervously looked around before staring back at Arche. A part of him really didn't want to go, at least not without telling her. But he felt that if she were awake, he would never be able to say goodbye and do what he had to do.

The mission of saving the world stirred something within him. Chiffon wasn't sure what it was, but he felt obligated to listen to it. Still, he put his faith in Arche. She was the best friend he could ever ask for, and he hoped she would understand that this was certainly not a goodbye. No, he would return to her, that he promised himself and would force Griff to accept that promise as well. He had a feeling the Half-Demon would listen.

Closing the window, he silently flew down and made his way to the inn. He wasn't sure which room the demon would be in, but he figured he would be able to find out one way or another. However, he noticed that the demon was out walking, as he saw Griff following the path that would take him to one of Tonkiness's famous sights, the Shrine of the Wind. Chiffon flew after him quickly, catching up to him just as he reached Sana's house.

"Um… Mister Griff!"

Griff turned at the mention of his name. His face showed no shock or surprise at seeing Chiffon floating before him. "You may simply call me Griff. And I see you have decided to come with me then."

"Um… about that…" Chiffon looked nervous, but Griff was patient. "I… I really don't wanna leave Arche behind. Can she really not come?"

"I would rather she didn't," Griff said in a tone that left no room for argument. "I don't need to be held accountable for whatever foolishness befalls that girl. Moreover, it will be a dangerous journey. I cannot guarantee her safety should she come." Chiffon looked saddened by this, so Griff continued, "If you are still hesitating, then take more time to think it over. And if it makes you feel better, I can bring you back should your presence no longer be required."

"Really? You promise?"

"Of course. Demonic as I may be, I always keep my word," Griff said.

"Okay… thanks." Chiffon seemed relieved by the knowledge that he could at the very least, come back.

"In that case, we should leave immediately." Chiffon looked surprised, and a bit scared, at this proposition. "I move best under the cover of darkness. And the sooner we head back, the sooner you can reunite with the girl, right?" Chiffon seemed a bit saddened that he wouldn't have any more time to spend with Arche, but nodded all the same. For now though, he would journey with Griff.

Making a 'come here' motion, Chiffon grabbed onto Griff's cloak as he made his way back to the inn. There was no need to say goodbye, he would simply pack his things, return the key to his room and leave quietly without anyone noticing he was gone.

But at least one person that night indeed noticed his departure…

* * *

The next morning, Arche awoke to the rising sun. She rubbed some sleep from her eyes as she tried to awaken. "Good morning Chiffon," she said cheerily. She was surprised by the lack of a response. "Chiffon?" Wondering if he had already headed downstairs, Arche began to get herself ready for another day of school. Once fully dressed, she headed downstairs to see her mother cooking something. "Morning mom!"

"Good morning Arche. Breakfast is almost ready," she said, pulling out some plates.

"Smells great mom," Arche said excitedly, taking her seat at the table. "Um mom, have you seen Chiffon anywhere?"

"Oh. I haven't seen him this morning. Isn't he usually up when you are?"

"Maybe he went outside," Arche's father said, entering their combination kitchen and dining room. "There's a nice breeze outside. He's supposed to be a Wind Elemental right? Maybe he just wanted to enjoy the wind." Arche thought about it. It did make sense, considering that Chiffon could fly.

Deciding she would have enough time before school started to find him, Arche settled into enjoying breakfast with her family. When it was time for her to go, she said goodbye to her parents and bounded out the door, almost running into Sana on the way. "Whoa! Sorry Sana, I almost didn't see you. You ok?"

"Oh, yes I'm fine," Sana said, though she didn't exactly look it.

"Sana, what's wrong? Are you ok?"

"Um… Arche, have you seen Chiffon this morning?"

"Huh? Well, now that you mention it, I haven't seen him all morning. I was about to look for him right now before school."

"Oh… Um, Arche, I don't really know how to tell you this, but… Chiffon went with Griff!" Arche looked surprised at this and grabbed Sana's shoulders.

"What!? But, when? How?"

"Um… last night I was using the bathroom… and when I was heading back to my room, I saw Griff and Chiffon talking about something. I didn't hear what they were saying, but I noticed that Chiffon was going with him. I think… I think Chiffon might have actually left!"

Arche was stunned. Chiffon leave? But why? In her heart of hearts, she knew the answer. But her thinking right now wouldn't allow her to see such a simple truth. Right now, there was only one course of action she could think of taking. "Sana, tell Ms. Sophia I'm gonna be late. I need to find Chiffon!"

"W-what!? But Arche, we don't even know where they went!"

"That doesn't matter! I gotta find Chiffon! I made a promise to him, and I'm gonna keep it!" Arche grasped Sana's hands with her own. "So please, Sana! Can you tell Ms. Sophia what happened?"

Sana only smiled at her. "I'm sorry Arche… but I can't. I can't let you go after them alone."

"Are you sure Sana?"

"Of course. Remember Arche, that time I got sick after our adventure?" Arche frowned. How could she forget? She had continuously blamed herself for pushing Sana so much beyond what she believed were her limits. "I told you at that time not to blame yourself. And that I'd still want to go on adventures with you. I'm not breaking that promise either. I'll definitely help you find Chiffon!"

"Sana…" Arche gave her friend a hug in gratitude. "Thanks so much. But your right, we don't know where they are or where they are going."

"Um, about that… Griff said he came from another continent right? That probably means he came from across the sea. So it's likely he's going someplace that has boats."

"Boats huh… well, I don't know any places like that. But I do know where we can start asking questions," Arche said, drawing her sword and pointing it dramatically in the air. "Hang in there Chiffon! Arche's coming!"


	4. The Path to Adventure

_A/N: To my one reviewer: Thanks much for your encouraging words! Of course I'm definitely going to be writing more and more, so look forwards to it! I promised this to be a three-way crossover and while we've had more than our fair share of Fortune Summoners and some Recettear, I feel the need to bring some Chantelise to the table. Enjoy all!  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 4: The Path to Adventure**_

* * *

Chartreux was the second largest city in the country of Scotsholm, having been rebuilt after a recent war with the neighboring country of Abyssinia. Within were rich and proud traditions that for generations had survived and told their tales. It was here that Arche and Sana were talking to the people in order to figure out where they could find a boat. Of course, it was easier said than done. Most people simply either ignored them or admonished them for not being in school.

"This isn't good… no one is taking us seriously," Sana said worried.

"We can't give up though! We need to find a place with a boat!"

"Aye lass… did ye say ye be looking for a boat?" Both girls turned to see an older man looking at them, a scruffy looking beard of white covering his face. In one hand was a small pipe from which smoke was coming out. "Little lady, if ye be looking for a sea faring vessel, ye be looking in the wrong place. Aye, the only true place to catch a boat would be Russbourg, with no doubt."

"Russbourg? I don't think I've heard of that place," Arche mentioned.

"Um… well, from what I remember, Ms. Sophia talked about it in class. She said it was west of Scotshold… I think."

"Aye, ye be correct there, lass. Tis only about a two day travel from here provided ye stick to the main road and don't run into any trouble."

"Wow, thanks mister," Arche said excitedly. "But um… why are you helping us?"

"Well, I used to be a fine sailor in me youth. Captained one of the finest crafts to ever sail the Ragdoll Straits! And you two… well, call it an old seadog's intuition, but you look like the adventuring types. And to that I say you should always follow your heart lassie! Can't ever lead you wrong! Yarhahar!"

"Wow, thanks a lot! So do you have any cool sailor stories? What's it like at-?"

"Arche, we should really get going… Um, thanks again mister," Sana said politely.

"Aye and you two be careful. And if you ever run into trouble, just let 'em know old Cliff sent you! That should set 'em straight!"

"Thanks again! Alright Sana, let's head out!" Arche ran off, leaving Sana to try and keep up. As they headed out the western exit of the town, they slowed their pace and kept on high alert. The monsters around these parts were much stronger than the ones on the path to the school. Thankfully, the two were rather seasoned in fighting the local monsters, and were able to make quick work of them as they made their way northward. Of course, fate would not allow them such an easy task.

The North Chartreux Guard post was the dividing line between the southern and northern half of the country and was the only path leading to the capital city of Scotshold without having to trek the dangerous wilds. There, two guards were blocking the gate necessary for Arche and Sana to proceed.

"Wha!? What do you mean no?"

"I'm sorry. But without proper documentation, we cannot allow you to cross, no matter the circumstances," the guard on the left said.

"But… but it's really important! Like, super important!"

"I'm sorry. But rules are rules, and we can't bend them for anyone," the guard on the right said. "Forgive us, but we cannot let you pass."

"Oh no… what do we do now?"

"Maybe we should head back, Arche," Sana suggested, looking just as depressed as Arche.

"But… but Chiffon is getting further and further away! We can't give up now!"

"Honestly, do you ever think these things through? I'm almost ashamed to be considered your classmate you know!" Both girls turned to the sight of another walking towards them, a haughty air about the young girl. "Really now…"

"Stella!? What are you doing here," Arche asked surprised.

"Come now, you don't really think I wouldn't have noticed you in Chartreux? And considering that Chiffon isn't with you, well… anyway, we should discuss this in private." Stella walked up to the guards and reached into her bag, pulling out three slips of paper. "Here you are. I trust everything should be in order?"

One of the guards took the papers, looking them over. He showed them to the other guard as they talked briefly among themselves for a few moments. "I see… well, everything checks out then. You three are free to pass."

"Naturally," Stella said flipping her hair back. "Come along then, Arche, Sana. I do believe we have someone to catch up to." Stella quickly made her way through, leaving Arche and Sana to try and catch up. Once they were a good distance away, Stella spoke up again, "Honestly you two…"

"Stella… how did you know to come here? And that we would need those passes," Sana asked.

"Well, I was on my way to school when I noticed you in town. You seemed to be asking a lot of questions about boats so I figured you two were looking for a way to Russbourg. I went back to the manor and Rowen already had the passes waiting. I honestly don't know when he could have prepared them, but I was grateful all the same. Mary then went to explain our absence at school. Apparently the story will be that I had a family emergency and that you two came along for moral support as my friends."

"Wow! That's great thinking Stella," Arche praised while the young female leading them gave a smirk of self-satisfaction. "Now we can get Chiffon back and not have to worry about being punished!"

"No, it won't be that easy. That story might not be so easily believed if we don't come back soon enough. And I doubt we will be coming back anytime soon," Stella said in all seriousness.

"Why is that," Sana asked confused.

"You both should know why. It's not like Chiffon was captured or anything like that. He went with Griff of his own violation. Honestly I was expecting that Arche would have gone with them last night if what I overheard you two talking about was true. But this isn't something that can be solved with just Chiffon alone. Wherever Griff is going, I have a feeling we need to go as well."

"But why? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go on that adventure, but… I mean, I wouldn't expect that I would go now. Maybe when I'm older…"

"In Chiffon's memory, Minasa-Ratis left him to guard your Elemental Stone Arche. And it might have been that my Elemental Stone might have been left to my family for safekeeping as well, considering the fact that my father lied about making it himself for my mother. Which I still need to talk to him about," she muttered just loudly enough for her companions to hear. "In any case, the Dark Witch wanted these stones badly, enough to trap our school in that alternate dimension. I think these stones might be the key to whatever this riddle is."

Arche merely nodded. She wasn't entirely sure about everything that Stella was saying, but she trusted her friend was onto something. For now, she would settle for reuniting with Chiffon. As they continued their trek, Arche noticed a disturbing lack of monsters around. Normally there were a few that roamed the paths, though they predominantly made their nests further into the wilderness. However, they had traveled for nearly an hour without so much as seeing a single slime.

Arche was about to voice her concerns, when her warrior's sense was telling her something was wrong. "Stella watch out!" Arche pushed Stella down, falling on top of her just as a pair of arrows flew overhead. Sana quickly took a defensive stance, looking about for their attackers. Looking up, she saw a pair of kobolds in the trees, bows and arrows in hand. She prepared a shield spell in case they fired again.

"Well, that was pretty good," a rough voice said as another kobold, wearing what looked like a martial arts outfit, dropped from another tree to block their path. "Alright, so here's how it's gonna go! You kids aren't going anywhere till you pay the toll, got it? So leave all your shiny things behind and get lost before me and my boys have to rough you up good!"

"Hmph! Clearly you don't know who you are dealing with," Stella said picking herself up and dusting off her clothes. Arche drew her sword readying herself for the upcoming fight.

"Tch. Fine, but don't go saying we didn't warn ya!" The two kobolds in the trees fired their arrows, being deflected by Sana's shield spell. Arche charged forwards with a battle cry, the kobold directly in front of her raising his fists in defense. The ones firing arrows were the more difficult ones to take out, as they used the trees for cover and Stella could not simply set them on fire lest she burn down the surroundings. Thankfully, Sana's water and ice magic were able to flush them out of hiding.

It didn't take much longer before the three monsters ran with their tails between their legs, a parting cry of 'We'll be back!' before they retreated deeper into the wilderness. "And stay down! Uncultured ruffians," Stella said, putting her dagger away. "We lost a bit of time there… it should only be a few hours more till we reach Scotshold. Hopefully we can make it before sundown."

"Don't worry Stella, we have plenty of time," Arche said, never losing confidence. Idly she wondered if Griff would let Chiffon go, or even allow them to come with him, without a fight. Either way, she knew that she couldn't underestimate him again. _Don't worry Chiffon! I'm coming!_

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"So, I've finally arrived, huh. Man that took a bit longer than I would have liked." Elan stood before the gates to the town where his master resided. It was still early enough in the morning not to need to find a place to stay, which meant that he could begin his search right away. And considering that his master was also a priest like him, the local church would be the perfect starting point.

Truthfully, the town seemed much smaller than he thought it would be. It was clear that they didn't get too many visitors out here, and there wasn't much besides some ruins and jungles nearly to explore. He supposed that every once in a while some people seeking to explore such places would show up, but it wasn't anything like Pensee which had multitudes of dungeons to explore nearby that apparently ran on some 'system' that was monitored by golems of some sort. Arma had tried to piece together everything to them, at least those Adventurers who had Recette as a client, but most of it seemed to fly over his head. He was pretty sure that of them all only Griff and Caillou understood more than half of what she was saying.

Well, that was neither here nor there he decided, as he made his way to the church. And standing before it was a rather familiar sight that he couldn't help but smirk. "Oy, old man! You're looking well for your age!"

The man in question was a dark-skinned, bald man wearing a similar outfit to Elan, though he looked more like a bodybuilder of some kind than an actual priest of the faith. He turned to see who had called, and was surprised by what he saw, though he quickly formed a smile of his own. "Well, I'll be! Looks like you've been doing well for yourself these long years, kid! You finally able to hold your liquor?"

"You can say that," Elan said, reaching out to shake the man's hand. Both grinned as they squeezed as hard as they could, trying to outdo the other. "Geez, all this time and you still don't let up, do you?"

"Never kid! Life is training; I taught you that much I'm sure!" The older man, though still smiling, had a wistful expression in his eyes. "But, something tells me this isn't a social visit, is it. Everything ok with you?"

"Personally? Yeah, I'm doing fine. But your right, I did come to seek some of your wisdom, master," Elan said all seriousness. "You think we can find a place to sit down and talk this over?"

"Sure thing. My place isn't too far from here. Figures you might want a strong drink seeing as the only place that serves drinks here won't be opening for quite a while." The two headed off to discuss what Elan had wanted to talk about. Soon after they reached the older priest's home did Elan's master proceed to open up a bottle and pour them each a strong drink. "Right then, what's got you all worried?"

With that, Elan began to tell his mentor about what he and Caillou had discussed concerning the weakening power of the Elementals. Though most of it was Caillou's own theories about why it may have happened and possible ideas to resolve things. Throughout the conversation, Elan hardly took a drink from his own cup, though his mentor had no problems in refilling his twice. After everything was explained to the best of his abilities, Elan's master stroked his chin, thinking hard about the situation.

"Well… you are right in thinking that there isn't much we can do. Men of the faith we may be, but our talents in magic are almost nonexistent. Ordinarily, this is where I would say to simply pray and let the gods handle it, but… well, you're in luck. Not that long ago there was an incident nearby. Some travelers had managed to settle it rather well. A young adventurer and a fairy if I recall," he said. Elan looked at him in surprise.

"Seriously?"

"Of course! Brave one that she was," the older man said with a laugh. "Perhaps they would be able to shed some new light on the situation. No doubt they may have some better understanding of what's happening if what your friend said was true."

"Don't worry; I can trust Caillou's words. So where are they now?"

"Took up residence with the owner of the Item Shop in town. Believe me, I would have thought they would have left by now, but it looks like they are staying for the foreseeable future."

"Alright, thanks old timer," Elan said playfully, taking his untouched drink and downing the entire contents in one go. "It was good seeing you again you know."

"Of course! Looks like you just might be on your way to a new adventure. Just be sure to come back and visit again, you hear? I'd like to know how my favorite pupil is doing." Elan resisted pointing out the fact that he was perhaps the only pupil he had that endured the hellish training to the very end. Instead he thanked him once more and made his way towards the local Item Shop. He was sure he saw it near the town square.

Once there, he headed inside, where a middle-aged woman kindly greeted him. "Welcome! I see you are a new face here. My name is Aria and this is my shop. May I help you with anything," she asked, giving a polite bow.

"Ah, maybe you can. I'm not exactly looking for items though. Rather, I'm searching for someone."

"Oh? Pardon, but you seem… similar to someone I know. Are you perhaps related to the priest here?"

"Er, not really," he said, unable to imagine what that would be like to have his master as a relative. "Anyway, the ones I'm looking for are also not from around here. An adventurer and a fairy," he inquired, looking at her steadily.

"Oh! You must mean Chante and Elise. Well, they aren't here at the moment… I'm not sure when they will be back either. I'm sorry. But, if you don't mind me asking, why are you looking for them?"

_Chante and Elise, huh… interesting names,_ Elan thought. "Well, you see, the thing is-."

"Hey! We're back Aria! Fire up those grills cause we got a bunch of live ones!" Both people turned to see a rather young woman with a sword strapped to her back walk in, carrying a net that was filled with fish. She wore a red leather jacket and brown skirt, with boots that looked slightly worn from years of travel. Floating just besides her was a fairy with green hair and wearing a similar styled set of clothes to the girl she was with. "Huh? Who the heck are you," the fairy asked rather rudely.

"Chante, please," the girl said with a sigh. "He's obviously a costumer. I'm sorry; she can be a little… blunt at times. My name is Elise. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, so you are Chante and Elise then," Elan said sizing the two up. The girl seemed to remind him of Louie in a way, as she carried her sword with a type of confidence that could only be born through the heat of many battles. "Well, this makes things easier for me then. I was looking for the two of you."

"Huh? What you looking for a fight," the fairy, Chante, said. "Cause just so you know, I may be small, but that doesn't mean I can't kick you right in the b-!"

"Chante! Stop jumping to conclusions like that!"

_Geez, are all fairies like this? Granted the only other ones I've met were Tear and Prime…_ Indeed, he couldn't begin to imagine either of those two resorting to things like violence as easily as this one did. Then again, Tear, at least from what he knew, didn't need things like fighting to get her point across. Especially when it came to the wellbeing of Recette and their shop. As for Prime, he couldn't say that he knew her in particular. Though he may have managed to see her once or twice at Recettear, most of what he knew about her came from Recette and Tear's accounts of meeting her.

"What is with all the yelling!? I'm trying to concentrate up here!" Elan turned to the sound of the new voice to see another fairy descend from a set of stairs. This one had red hair and looked to be wearing some sort of purple robes befitting a spell-caster of sorts. "My work is delicate and I can't focus with all this racket!"

"Sorry Elma," Elise said, rubbing the back of her head nervously.

"Oh, another fairy? This is new," Elan said looking at the newcomer.

"Ah? Hmm…" The new fairy flew close to Elan, observing him carefully. "You… have made contact with fairies before, haven't you?" Elma nodded in self-satisfaction. "Yeah, definitely! I can sense small traces of magic around you from an actual fairy!"

"Well, I do know of a fairy if that's what you mean," Elan said slightly uncomfortable at the red-haired fairy's proximity. "But I don't- wait, what do you mean by 'actual' fairy? Aren't you a fairy too?"

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt," Elise said, keeping an eye on Chante who was still staring at Elan suspiciously, "but you said you needed to see us about something?"

"Ah right, almost forgot about that. You see, I'm looking for clues about the decline of the elementals. I've heard that fairies might know something about this so I was wondering if you noticed anything strange."

"Really," Elise said confused while Chante thought about it. "That's news to me."

"Well, can't say I know anything about that," Chante said with a carefree attitude. "This is the first I've heard about it too."

"Honestly, you seem to be a disgrace to the race of the fae," Elma said. "I've noticed it myself, but-."

"Well excuse me for worrying about more important things! Like how to get to my old self again," Chante yelled out.

Elan at this point was rather confused by everything. Perhaps sensing this, Aria spoke up again. "Well, perhaps it's best if we all sat down and had something to eat. I'm sure after that we can discuss these things like the civilized people we are," she said, giving a motherly-like glare to the two fairies. They both backed down, though Chante mumbled something under her breath that thankfully no one caught.

Roughly one tense hour later, the remains of their fish lunch were being cleaned away, no one speaking for a bit. Elise and Aria were sitting with Chante and Elma on their respective shoulders. "Right, so we may have started this off on the wrong foot. I suppose I should introduce myself first. I'm Elan, an adventurer and priest of the town Pensee."

"Pensee, huh? That's pretty far from here," Elise said. "Well, I'm Elise as you may have well known, and this is my sister, Chante," she said gesturing to the fairy on her shoulder. "We are travelers of sorts. I guess that would be the most accurate thing to say about us."

"I am Elma, Aria's sister," the red-haired fairy spoke up. "Professional sorceress and potion maker. At least, before all this," she said wistfully.

"Pardon my asking, but how exactly does one have a fairy for a sister," Elan asked confused. He knew that Recette liked to think of Tear as a sibling she never had, or at least that was what Charme had once drunkenly mentioned in passing. Perhaps it was the same feeling?

"Well, to answer that, we are cursed people," Elma said rather nonchalantly. "From what I know, me and Chante here underwent a curse that causes fairy-fication. We used to be humans, but are now for all intent and purposes, fairies. We thought we had removed the curse already by cutting off the source, but it seems that it hasn't reversed yet. Still trying to figure out why though."

Elan frowned. He had never heard of such a magic before. It definitely didn't seem normal, and he wondered if Caillou might know something about it. It would definitely be worth asking. "That… I'm not really sure how to feel about that. I've never known anyone who was cursed before."

"It's fine. We aren't here to discuss our problems. You came here concerned about the weakening elementals, yes?" Elan nodded in response, to which Elma continued, "Well, though I am aware of such things, I can't exactly say I know more than what you might know. But it might have to do with the Elemental Kings."

"Elemental Kings? I've never heard of those."

"Well, basically you can consider them to be like the rulers of all elementals. Of course, their powers are on an even greater scale than ordinary elementals as well. They keep the balance of the world steady. As it stands, something must have happened to them."

"But what could possibly kill something like that," Elan wondered, more to himself than anything.

"Well, they can't be killed," Chante explained, now resting on Elise's head. "You can seal them up or take away their powers but you can't kill an Elemental King. They just become reborn. Which definitely means that someone or something is purposefully targeting them knowing what will happen." For a few moments no one said anything, but everyone in the room was staring at the green-haired fairy. "What!? I can know things too you know! Are you saying I'm stupid!?"

"Nothing of the sort," Elma said quickly, turning away. "Anyway I'm not sure how we can help, all things considering."

"What are you talking about," Chante said raising her fist into the air. "All we gotta do is find the guys who are doing this and whack! And Thwack! Beat them up good!"

"I don't think it will be as easy as that Chante," Elise said somewhat embarrassed by her sister's antics.

"Well in either case why not come back with me to Pensee," Elan offered. "At the very least, I need to meet with my friend Caillou to discuss everything. And he might be able to do something about your curse."

"Really? You really think so," Chante said excited by the prospect.

"Well, he is an accomplished magician so…"

"Sweet! Elise let's get ready! We definitely got to go!"

"Calm down Chante," Aria said smiling. "At the very least, let's show Elan our hospitality for tonight. You can go in the morning once everything is taken care of tonight."

"Sounds great! I'll bring the booze," Elan said excited.

"Oh yeah! Watch the fairy drink you under the table," Chante challenged.

"Fool! Do you have any idea what alcohol does to fairies," Elma shouted at her.

Elan smiled, despite the fact that he hadn't learned too much about the situation with the elementals, but he felt that the two were trustworthy enough to bring back. They might even be able to help them in some way. _Wonder what Recette and Tear would think of them,_ he thought to himself. He especially wondered how Tear and Chante would interact. Perhaps things would be looking up after all.


	5. A Reason for Secrets

_A/N: Warning! The following Chapter may contain actual plot and relevance to future chapters. Enjoy!  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

* * *

_**Chapter 5: A Reason for Secrets**_

"So, this is Scotshold! My, what a lively place," Stella said, looking over the small city. Various tall buildings could be seen everywhere, stretching out high into the sky. The bustling sound of people going about their daily lives filled the air. "This places makes Chartreux seem like Tonkiness in comparison."

"Yeah… to be honest, I never really liked this place too much. It always felt really crowded," Arche said.

"Wait, you lived here Arche," Sana asked surprised.

"You never mentioned that," Stella said accusingly. "And here I thought we were friends."

"Eh? I thought I mentioned it before. My dad worked as a royal guard here, so we lived here, at least for a while."

"Then, did you ever go into the magic academy here? It's supposed to be one of the best in the country," Stella asked, somewhat jealous.

"No, no," Arche denied, shaking her hands. "Our family has never had that much money to be honest, so my parents couldn't afford to send me there. I went to a regular school here instead."

"Well… I guess that explains why you didn't have your own elemental stone when you started school with us," Sana said. "Um, do you think your old house is still here?"

"Maybe. But I think someone else lives there now. Anyway, we got to find Griff and Chiffon! So let's head to the inn!" Arche led the way, more familiar with the layout of the city than the others. Most people didn't bother to notice them as they walked through the streets. Sana was rather fascinated by everything, looking around the city in wonder. She had never seen such sights before. Stella had been here once before, when her father had shown her where he worked on producing the vast amounts of elemental stones that his company provided to the public. Her reactions were less obvious than Sana's but she was still impressed by how the people here lived their lives. She noticed that there were many more guards patrolling the streets here compared to anywhere else.

Arriving at the inn, the three immediately sought a room for them. "By the way, you wouldn't happen to know of a dark-skinned man staying here? He might have had a pet with him," Stella mentioned to the innkeeper, a rather young looking male.

"Hm… ah, yes, I think we did have someone like that check in. Just this morning actually," he said.

"Really!? Is he here now? What room is he in," Arche asked excitedly.

"Um… well, I don't think he's here now. He left almost as soon as he got here."

"Darn… guess we have to come back later then," Arche said. "Now what do we do?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I need to head to father's company. It's about time he answered a few questions I had," Stella said.

"You think we can come along? I don't really know where anything is here," Sana said somewhat worried. The thought of wondering the city, exciting as it might have been, also sent a quiver of fear through her that she could get lost and separated from her friends.

"I… suppose it wouldn't hurt. You might as well see the amazingness of my family's legacy," Stella said with a smirk. With that, Stella led them out of the inn and back into the streets of Scotshold. Journeying towards the more industrial side of the city, there were clearly less citizens and more guards and workers as they made their way to a rather large facility that seemed to stand out from the others. The guards at the gate stopped them from going further.

"Excuse me, but what business do children have here? Unless you work here or have an appointment, then I suggest you leave. This place can be dangerous."

"Ah, if I recall you two are… Tony and Dillan, correct? It's been some time since I last saw you two. Working hard I see?"

"Huh… oh! Miss Mayberk, I almost didn't recognize you," the guard on the right, Tony, said. The other guard also had a moment of recognition. "You've definitely grown up a bit, haven't you? But why are you here anyway?"

"I am here to see my father. So if you would kindly open the gate and let us pass…"

Both guards looked a bit worried at that statement, looking at each other in slight confusion. "Well… should we even…?"

"I think so… she should know," the other said.

"Right. Just step inside and ask the secretary for Mr. Gillian. He'll be able to explain everything," Dillan said. The gate was opened for them, Stella having a slightly confused look on her face at the two guards' mysterious conversation, before heading inside, quickly followed by Sana and Arche.

Once inside, they entered the reception area, where a young lady was behind a counter, looking over some paperwork. "Um, excuse us," Sana said as Arche looked around and Stella made sure she wouldn't run off where she wasn't supposed to, "we're looking for a mister Gillian?"

"Hm? And why do you want to see him? Say who are you three anyway? Children shouldn't be here."

"I am Stella Mayberk, and we need to see Mister Gillian to speak with him about my father," Stella said, tired of having to explain herself. She was surprised when the young lady started to laugh. "H-hey! What's so funny?"

"Ah I'm sorry, but you are Mr. Mayberk's kid? Likely story. You can't honestly expect me to believe that, right?"

"What! I'll have you know-!"

"That's enough, Miss Stella. A proper lady shouldn't raise her voice like that." Everyone turned to see a young man with dark hair combed straight back step through a nearby door. "Truth to be told, I have been expecting your arrival for some time now. Please, right this way," he said, letting them head through. "Also, Miss Bell," he said, addressing the secretary who had stiffened at his words, "since this is the first time you've met her, I will excuse your actions this one time. Please do not let it happen again."

"Y-yes sir!"

Satisfied with her answer, the man led them through a hallway and past a door at the end of it to a furnished office. The man stepped behind the desk there, sitting down. "Please, take a seat." The three girls did so, with Arche looking at a nameplate on the desk that read 'Mr. Mayberk'. "I trust you have many questions, Miss Stella. I will try to answer them all."

"Well, the first and most important one is where is my father," Stella asked. "That's his desk you're sitting in after all. I doubt you'd have the nerve to do so unless there was a good reason."

"Yes, the first question undoubtedly is the hardest to answer… unfortunately, I'm not sure how to tell you this, but your father isn't here. To be completely honest… he hasn't been here for nearly three months now." Silence greeted his ears before the next predictable action took place.

"WHAT!?"

"Yes… well, perhaps I should explain everything from the beginning? You see, several months ago I noticed your father was filling out quite a bit of paperwork unrelated to the company, or so I managed to peak at. It seems he has been planning this trip for quite some time. Then, roughly three months ago he gave me a letter to mail to you and officially made me in charge of running the company since you were still too young. As it is now, only a select few people know of this. Aside from a few trustworthy and important people, no one else knows that Mr. Mayberk isn't here right now. He also has no made contact with us since leaving the company in my care."

Stella was in a state of shock, unable to process this all. She felt like fainting, and only sheer willpower allowed her to keep conscious. Seeing her friend in such a state, Sana asked, "But where did he go? And why did he go?"

"I can't possibly know the answer to the second one. He didn't explain that to me or anyone else as far as I'm aware. And though I don't know exactly where he was planning to go, at the very least I was able to puzzle out he was heading to Abyssinia."

"That far," Arche asked surprised. "But… what's even there?"

"Again, I can't fathom what he was seeking. But it was clear that he felt it important enough to head there himself. Miss Stella… I will continue to keep this company running, until your father returns home. Unless of course, you have any other suggestions?"

"No, no… can you just… give me a moment?"

"Of course. Feel free to leave at any time you're ready." The man, Mr. Gillian, stood up. "If you will excuse me." With that, he walked out the door, leaving the three to themselves.

"Stella…" For a moment, she said nothing, but instead collapsed into her chair, as if the weight of the world suddenly bore down on her shoulders. "Wah! Are you ok," Arche said getting up and coming to her side, Sana following suit.

"I'm fine… no, forget that, I am completely not fine. All this stress seems to finally be catching up to me," Stella said, thinking about what the man had said. Three months was roughly around the same time that Stella had gotten her last letter from her father. He had apparently sent it to ease her worries, probably thinking that he would return in time to send his next letter to her. He always sent mail every few months, especially when his work was taking him a long time to complete. Instead, he was now somewhere in Abyssinia, and while the war between them and Scotsholm was over, it didn't mean it was a safe place for someone of his importance to be roaming about.

Of course, Stella had full confidence that he was fine and whatever it was that was holding him up would be resolved as soon as he could get to it. But deep within her heart, a tiny fear was brewing. A fear that she might truly never see her father again. Though work had always kept him away for months at a time, Stella never hated her father for it. Growing up, she always admired both her parents for what they accomplished and though she had lost her mother, she was grateful to having a father, even if he wasn't always around. Losing him meant being completely alone, and though Rowen and Mary were people she cared deeply for, they simply could not replace the space in her heart where her parents lay.

"Stella?" Stella turned her head to face Arche, who was watching her with some concern. "Um, what are you gonna do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are you gonna look for your dad? Cause Sana and I will totally help after we get Chiffon back," Arche offered. Sana nodded in confirmation with a determined smile on her face.

Stella blinked a few times before giving a rather gentle smile. "Thank you Arche. I needed that." With a determined motion, she hopped off the chair and straightened her dress. "But, I am sure my father is doing fine. I'll believe in him a little longer. Besides, we still have to see about following Griff to wherever he came from. The situation with my father will have to wait, for now anyway."

"Are you sure Stella," Sana asked.

"Positively. We shouldn't get distracted from our goal. Now then, we should at least check back at the inn." With their priorities set, the three girls left the office and made their way out of the building. Passing by the secretary, they noticed that she was doing her very best not to look at them. The guards outside gave a friendly wave to them as they headed back to the inn. A bit before reaching it though, what they saw caused Arche to perk up and go running.

"Mr. Griff!"

Griff turned his head in surprise as Arche came running up to him, followed by Sana and Stella. He looked in shock, then annoyance as he recognized the three. "What in the world are you three doing here?"

"We came for Chiffon of course," Stella explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right! Where Chiffon goes, I go too," Arche declared. "Where is he?"

Griff gave a sigh, not wanting to deal with them right now. "He's resting in my room. Which I won't be staying in for too long. I plan to leave tonight. Bad enough I had to prepare my supplies in the day," he grumbled. He really didn't like some of the stares he had gotten. "You really are determined to see this through to the end?"

"Yes," Sana said. "We thought about it enough on the way here. We won't abandon Chiffon."

Griff stared at the three of them, his expression betraying nothing. _These three… _ "Very well then. I suppose at this point trying to stop you would be pointless. Follow me." With that, he turned and headed inside, leading them to the third floor. Once there, Griff opened the door to reveal Chiffon floating about, observing everything.

"Chiffon!"

"Arche!?" Chiffon turned in time to receive a massive hug from Arche. "Arche, why are you here?"

"I came here looking for you," Arche said, holding him up. "Do you know how worried I was?"

Chiffon's expression seemed to deflate at this. "I'm sowwy Arche. Please don't be mad at me," he said as tears threatened to fall. He was rather surprised to see the forming of tears in Arche's eyes though.

"Oh Chiffon… I'm not mad." She gave him another hug to reassure him. "I was really worried, especially cause you didn't tell me where you were going. But I could never be mad at you."

"I hate to ruin the moment," Griff said, in a tone that suspiciously sounded like he, in fact, did not seem to care that he was ruining the moment, "but I would suggest that you all get some rest. I plan to leave at night, and I am not waiting up for you. I'll drag the Elemental myself if I have to, since he agreed to coming with me in the first place."

"Killjoy," Stella muttered.

"Um, Mr. Griff, why do we have to leave at night? Aren't the monsters more active on the roads during the night," Sana questioned. This was indeed an important point. Most monsters thrived under the cover of darkness to hide their motives.

"As a demon, I simply prefer the cover of darkness. That is all," he said. Not that those monsters would be any problem for him. Most of them had completely avoided him on the journey here, leaving only the strongest of them to try and stop him. In a sense, he wondered if the monsters here were somewhat more intelligent than the ones that roamed the dungeons near Pensee, as they seemed to attack without question. Then again, it was likely the relentlessness of those monsters was why those dungeons were considered dangerous in the first place.

"Well, I guess that's ok… Come on Chiffon, let's go to our room and rest up for the trip!"

"Indeed. With everything that's happened today, I do feel unusually tired," Stella said, not wanting to skip this chance to relax.

Griff watched them leave as they said their goodnights to him, though he didn't respond in kind. He was busy thinking over everything that happened as he closed the door and allowed himself to rest on his bed for the afternoon. _Damn it all… just what have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

Far, far away from the three girls, a somewhat familiar face to them was walking down a path, a cloak covering most of the person's body. Their hood was up, but if one looked closely, they could make out a feminine face with blond hair and pointed ears that marked her as a non-human. Soon enough she reached the entrance to a cave, covered in raw elemental stones, or as some of the natives of the land called them, Magic Crystals. The appearance of them would be tempting, but she knew better. Raw Magic Crystals could be volatile if mishandled, and at best they were good for only a one-time use unless they were 'processed' into Elemental Stones first.

Still, their appearance around the cave meant that she had reached her destination at last; the largest dungeon managed by the Pensee Adventurer's Guild, the Lapis Ruins. She frowned. From here it would be a long journey into its depths. But what lay at the end was something her 'Master' wanted and she had to get to it one way or another.

Given that she had never been here before, it would definitely take some time, especially since coming to this continent she found that most of the monsters here wouldn't obey her will. If she could control them it would have been an easy task to undertake. But something about these dungeons prevented her from using her magic to alter the monsters' loyalties.

It was of no consequence to her, either way. With a determined look, the Dark Witch made her way into the dungeon.

Dungeon Progress: Floor one out of one hundred…


	6. Onward, to Pensee!

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 6: Onward, to Pensee!**_

* * *

"Hyah!" Elan charged forwards his fist slamming into the flying eyeball monster in front of him with a powerful force, knocking it back some distance before it seemed to dissolve and small magic crystals burst from its body. The crystals hovered in the air for a moment before flying towards Elan where upon contact they seemed to vanish once again. Looking around, he gave a deep breath and smiled. "Well, that takes care of them."

"Yeah," Elise said, having finished dealing with her own foe. Deciding to stray off the main path in order to save time might not have been the wisest idea. Thankfully, they were due to hit the main road again soon, which meant the monster attacks would come less frequently. "You're pretty strong. I'd hate to have to fight you," she said good naturedly.

"Try freakishly strong," Chante said, still in some disbelief of the display of power she witnessed. "I didn't think it was possible to punch that hard. How the heck do you do it?"

"Training. Lots of training," Elan said. He picked up his pack from where he placed it, slinging it over his shoulder. "Come on, we should hurry. Hopefully we can make it to the next town soon."

"Ugh, I hope so. I'm sick of camping out all the time! I want a bed," Chante practically whined, already missing the comforts of civilization despite having traveled for only a few days.

"Relax Chante, its nothing we haven't dealt with before. In fact we've certainly dealt with worse," Elise said, thinking of those times they had been forced into impromptu shelters due to the weather.

"Please don't remind me."

"Well, you two sure are a lively couple, I'll say," Elan said, smiling. "It must be nice, having a sibling you can rely on."

"It definitely has its moments," Elise said, as Chante rested on her shoulder.

"Hey, by the way, I've been meaning to ask you something," Chante said, looking in Elan's direction. "Why do you absorb those Magic Crystals anyway?"

"Hm? You mean you don't know," Elan asked surprised. It seemed like such a common thing to him, like one of those things all adventurers seemed to know on instinct.

"I must admit, I am curious too. You don't seem to utilize them the way Chante and I do," Elise said.

"Ah well… most of us adventurers absorb them for their power. You see, absorbing them allows a person to grow stronger. Of course, the stronger you become the less of an effect each one has, so you need more and more of them to keep getting stronger. You follow?"

"I think so… its certainly different from how Chante and I use them."

"Yup! You see, each one of those crystals holds an elemental power in them! Beings of high magical potency like myself can unlock the magic within them. I suppose it's one kind of perk to being a fairy," Chante said. "I unlock the magic within them and transfer the power to Elise so together we cast magic spells."

"I see… that's interesting."

"Well, it's not like that makes me a magician or anything," Elise said, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "I mean, I don't have any natural ability to use magic, so everything is with Chante's help. And of course, each stone is very unstable. We can only get one 'charge' of magic energy from each stone before they break and are useless. But it also allows us to combine the elemental properties to create brand new types of magic."

Elan whistled, clearly impressed. "Wow, talk about powerful. I suppose that makes you a magical swordswoman, right?" Elise blushed, embarrassed by the title, even if it did fit somewhat.

"Hey, hey, watch it creep. Just because you're being nice doesn't mean you get a free pass or anything," Chante said, flying over to Elan and staring him down. "I've got my eye on you."

"Ok, ok, I get it," Elan said holding up his hands in defeat. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just wonder what Caillou would make of it."

"You've mentioned him before," Elise said, eager to lead the conversation into less awkward territory. "He's your magician friend, right? You really think he can help us?"

"Yeah. And I'm certain he can at least try. He'd definitely one of the smartest guys I know, at least when it comes to this magical stuff. Even if he can't help you directly, he'd likely know someone who can."

"Aw man, this will be great! To be human again, I can't wait! Oh, why does Pensee have to be so far," Chante said frustrated. Elise giggled at her antics, but was no less excited. After all, she also wanted to see the end of her sister's curse.

Unknown to them, however, they were being watched from afar by two figures. One was a tall person covered head to toe in black armor, the helm having two curved horn-like protrusions. The armor gave nothing away to the person's identity, as they stood stiffly gazing to the three. The other was clearly male, though he seemed almost two heads shorter than the armored individual. His chest was bare, wearing only dark green pants and boots. Several markings covered his torso, and his face was hidden behind a tribal-looking mask. In one hand was a dagger, and in the other was a blowpipe.

"Hehehe… I only came to check on you, but it seems we found some fun toys to play with!" The armored person said nothing, prompting the masked man to continue, "Well, whatever! They are strong, right? That's all that matters. They might just get in our way. We should kill them now."

"No," the armored one said, the voice deep but slightly distorted. "We are risking too much as it is. Right now, they are headed to where Selene is. We have other duties to attend to."

"Oh man, her," the masked one said in obvious disgust. "She's practically a child! Didn't she get reprimanded with that side project of hers in Scotsholm? I swear, if it wasn't for her magic…"

"She is a valuable necessity. Demon magic is by far one of the most potent types. Besides, she knows better than to jeopardize the mission for anything personal."

"Speaking of which, how is your mission going? Have you already got that power yet?"

"No. It appears that once again, I was a bit too late." The armored person pointed to the group of three traveling. "The girl and the fairy dispatched it already."

"What!? Are you kidding me," the masked man said in disbelief. "She's practically a kid! Are you trying to tell me that a kid managed to defeat an Arch-Devil?" His companion said nothing, prompting him to rant more. "Well that's just great! First the one in the tower is supposed to be freed from a weakening seal, when in fact someone _reinforced_ the thing before we could get to it, and now the other one has been defeated already! Arch-Devils don't grow on trees you know! It's gonna take me ages to find another one!"

"Your outbursts are not helping. In times like these we must remain focused. The goal is still in sight, and so long as the last two Elemental Kings are not within our grasp, we have ample time. Still it would be best if we rushed a bit."

"Will they be a threat," the masked man asked seriously, all pretense of his somewhat childlike personality gone. "The priest alone is fairly strong, but the girl…"

"It's still too early to be sure. For now though, I will make my way to Pensee. Perhaps I can assist Selene once there."

"I'd rather wish you wouldn't," the masked one said, before shrugging his shoulders. "Well, suit yourself. I'll keep searching then." The armored one nodded before turning and walking away. The man looked to where he had last seen the three travelers. They were gone now, but it didn't stop him for giggling to himself. "Well, finally some strong, worthy ones. Still to have been taken notice by the Dark Knight… how unlucky."

With that, he too disappeared into the wilderness.

* * *

"Wow! So cool!"

"It's big! And blue!"

"Arche, get down from there! You're going to fall off!" Stella was busy yelling at Arche, who was standing on a post by the water's edge. Though Sana wasn't as risky with her sightseeing of the Ragdoll Straits, she was also impressed by the clear waves crashing into the shore.

"Just think Chiffon, there's a whole big world out there to explore! This is gonna be amazing!"

"I'm really excited Arche," Chiffon said zooming out over the water and back to her. The breeze here carried some of the saltiness of the sea, but that didn't make it any less relaxing to him.

"If you are quite done," Griff said, trying his very hardest not to shout, "we need to get to the ferry soon. They are departing this afternoon and I refuse to be stuck here for however long it will take for the next boat to arrive now that I know I don't have to wait."

Arche pouted, but descended anyway, opting to follow Griff for now. Their journey to Russbourg went surprisingly smoothly. Almost no monsters bothered them on their nighttime trip, though that didn't stop Sana from shaking at the various tricks the darkness played on her mind. Nor did it keep Stella and Arche from being on full alert. The few times monsters, and the occasional ghost, did show up, Griff swiftly took care of the problem. Though it had been only briefly, Arche had almost forgotten just how strong Griff really was.

It really made her wonder how strong other people were from where Griff had come from. The town called Pensee, their current destination, was right across the Straits. According to Griff, it would take about three to four days to cross, then another day of traveling to reach Pensee.

When the time for departure came, Arche could only feel apprehension. This was the first time an adventure of hers would take so long and in such a far off place. Moreover, she was bringing her friends along as well. Granted, she was grateful for them to come, but she still felt slightly guilty that she was taking them away from home. Stella may have had good reason to leave, but Sana was still someone who she felt like she was forcing her to come along.

"I hope you're not thinking of sending us back, Arche," Stella said to the girl who was lost in thoughts.

"Eh!? Stella are you a mind-reader or something?"

"Oh please, it's practically written all over your face. Don't you dare think that after everything we went through together to get here, we are going to back out now. We're with you all the way."

"Stella…" Suddenly Arche gave her a hug, to which the other young girl looked rather uncomfortable to be in. "Thanks! I feel much better now."

"Yes, yes, now can you please let go!"

"What are you two doing? Wait, forget I asked," Griff said shaking his head. "We need to board the ship now." As they made their way to the ship, Arche, Sana and Stella looked around as they saw several boats at the pier, some of them loading and unloading crates filled with who knew what. Griff stepped up to a man wearing a navy blue bandana around his head, who was ordering some men loading up a somewhat smaller vessel, talking to him about boarding. Suddenly the three heard him shout, "WHAT!?"

"You heard me. A thousand copper pieces, not one less."

"Absurd! I was told the return trip would only be one-hundred fifty pieces!"

"Aye, but you have children coming aboard with you this time. You should be lucky I'm allowing you bring them at all, considering."

"Considering what," Griff asked, trying to reel in his anger.

"The sea has been temperamental as of late; rougher waters and even some sightings of monsters in the depths. Unnatural it may be, but most monsters of the deep prefer to stay in the deep. They been getting bolder. I cannot guarantee the safety of my own men, let alone those kids."

"The monsters will not be a problem, I assure you." The biggest problem at this point would be money. While he did have enough to get them all across, he would have to exchange his gold pieces for Pix, the currency Pensee used, afterwards and still hopefully have enough for his return back. He'd definitely have to take a few jobs after all this.

"Oh! Um, mister," Arche said drawing attention to her. "Someone named Cliff said it would be okay to let us ride."

"Say what now? Ol' Cliff said that did he." He shook his head and sighed. "What on earth be that old sea dog thinking…"

"So you know him then," Sana asked.

"Of course, no one here doesn't know that old captain! One of the finest, at least before the incident."

"Incident?"

"No, not my story to tell lass. Ask Ol' Cliff if you ever see him again. Can't be too sure what that senile old man is thinking, letting kids cross the Straits… But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Owe the man that much. You can board, normal fee. As for you, Griff was it? I trust you can keep your word about the monsters."

Griff scoffed. As if he would dare have his word questioned by the likes of a human. The four boarded the ship, as the captain began to yell at the others to hurry with the loading of the cargo. Arche ran up onto the deck and stood at the bow, overlooking the waters. "Alright! We're finally on our way!"

"It's going to be a long journey. Are you prepared," Stella asked.

"I'm kind of scared… but really excited too. To think I'm really doing this though," Sana said nervously.

"The first step is the most difficult in any journey," Griff said approaching them. "From this point on, you had best prepare yourselves for the dangers. Don't think you can rely on me all the time."

"Ok! We're ready to shove off! Next stop, Seasburry of Dalmatia!"

"Onward, to Pensee!"


	7. Illusions of Peace

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 7: Illusions of Peace**_

The morning began as any other. For one Recette Lemongrass, owner of the newly popular Item Shop Recettear, it meant an early wake-up call. Currently, she was washing her face preparing herself to face the day and what it would bring. Drying it with a towel, she looked into the mirror and adjusted the ribbons she used to keep her hair up. Smiling at her appearance, she was feeling rather pumped up to facing the world.

"Ok," she said to herself, looking focused in the mirror. "Another day for business. Time to earn some Pix! Capitalism, ho!"

"If you are quite done motivating yourself for the day, today is Inventory Day," the fairy Tear said entering the restroom, already dressed for the day. "Make sure you have everything."

"Of course! But first, breakfast! Come on Tear," Recette said joyously. Tear could only smile wistfully. It seemed like so long ago that Recette would dread these types of days. Taking stock of everything could be a rather tedious task, and the old Recette would have complained and asked for frequent snack breaks prompting Tear to scold and lecture her. It often meant spending the entire day in the stockroom, without a single Pix to be earned, and they were usually scheduled on days without any outstanding orders.

Perhaps now that the looming debt that her father had unwittingly placed on her shoulders had been left behind her, she could enjoy the simplicities of owning a shop. She certainly made enough to get by and even had the chance to remodel the store to accommodate more inventory to be displayed for sale. They weren't living lavishly by any means, but it was certainly a big step up to when they could only afford to eat porridge most of the week. As proof, what normally now took an entire day to do was manageable in a mere four or five hours.

After a simple meal of oatmeal, juice and half a blueberry muffin (the other half being for Tear), Recette was ready, clipboard in hand, as Tear began to count up stock. It certainly was easier once Tear decided they needed a 'filing system' for finding everything. Before, it would have been easy to miscount how much of something they had and end up being over or understocked when they went out to replenish things. Now that everything had a proper place, they could get through this faster and have more time to prep the shop for business.

Recette focused, making little notes to replenish their supply of Wool Hats, as well as to check up on the prices for metallic objects. A recent ore deposit being found had reduced the prices for things like swords dramatically, so they had to capitalize on it while the deals were still up at the Marketplace. She also made sure she still had the special 'Claw' gauntlet that she had managed to request forged at the Adventurer's Guild, claiming to be a 'Welcome back!' present for when Griff returned. She wanted something for Elan and Caillou as well, but finding the materials for the forging request was the hard part. She made a mental note to request an adventurer for a dungeon exploration in the future.

Taking only a single break to share some Walnut Bread with Tear, the duo were nearly done when Recette checked her watch. Seeing the time, she panicked a bit, placing the clipboard down. "Oh no, I'm gonna be late!"

"What? Recette, where are you going? We're almost done here!"

"Sorry Tear! I almost forgot I'm meeting Louie today and I'm gonna be late!" Racing to her fridge, she pulled out the lunch she had prepared in advance and gathered her things in her travel pack. "I promise I'll finish up as soon as I get back! Thanksgottagobye," she jumbled all at once before racing out the door of the shop, the jingle of the bell in her wake. Tear gazed at the door in slight confusion and exasperation before giving a sigh.

"Merde… that girl." Still she gave a soft smile. Perhaps it was time to admit that indeed she was growing up into a woman, even if she was still technically considered a teen and somewhat naïve. Though she was seeing less and less of that naivety as time went by. Deciding to let it go for now and save the lecture for another day, Tear went to find her feather duster and dust around the shop. It was rather amazing how much dust could settle over the course of a day here.

Recette meanwhile was racing through the town square, bypassing several people, some of whom waved as she went by. As she reached a park near the edge of town, she saw her friend Louie resting against a tree, looking up at some clouds. A squirrel was resting in his hair, but it seemed he hadn't even noticed it. The sight made her giggle, drawing her presence to him. His head turned, causing the furred animal to scamper down his face, to which he sputtered and waved his hands frantically over himself. The sight brought outright laughter.

"Hey, hey! Come on, that's not that funny," Louie said. He wore a thick-layered shirt and pants, a scarf loosely around his neck. One might think it strange he wore such heavy clothing, especially in such a moderate climate that Pensee was known for, but Louie was used to the weight and feel of the wool. Growing up in a much colder and somewhat harsher climate of the far north was a good way to make one appreciate warm clothing.

"Sorry Louie," Recette said, her laughter dying out. "I'm not late am I?"

"Nope! Right on time actually. You ready to start?"

"Yeppers! Let's do it!"

Recette and Louie had been friends for quite some time now, ever since she had first learned of her father's debt to Terme Finance. As an Adventurer looking to make himself known, Recette was Louie's first client to officially obtain an Adventurer's Card allowing him to explore the dungeons managed by Pensee's Adventurer's Guild. And Recette had been the first person Louie had shared that card with, a promise of friendship and understanding between two people who were beginning their life's path. He was an invaluable asset to her and the shop, especially in the early days when the money was budgeted very tightly to ensure she could afford her payments. Even to this day, Louie was the only adventurer who would give her a discount on his services whenever she asked, though Recette was determined to pay him back no matter what. Of course, the same could be said in return for Louie who seemed to be consistently low on money.

Now that things had settled down, both had taken the time to simply hang out with each other, a way to take a rest from the struggles of the day. Eventually though, it resulted in a rather unexpected outcome. Ever since the fiasco with Arma and the Lapis Ruins, Recette lamented how little she could do for someone who had become her friend, even if she was considered only a 'golem'. To her, Arma was Arma and nothing could change that. That was why she had asked Louie about teaching her how to wield a sword. Of course, she knew that others like Elan and Charme would have offered to help her had she asked. But Louie was always considered special to her, who would understand the whys without asking too many awkward questions or suspect her motives.

Of course, he happily agreed. It gave him a bit of a thrill to be teaching someone swordsmanship, almost like he was a master himself. And so their days of training began. It became quite apparent that Recette would not be able to even hold most of the swords Louie used, considering that he could wield heavy broadswords in one hand with his trusty shield in the other. So they settled for lighter short swords, which lacked power but allowed her to stay mobile. Several weeks of on and off training, considering that Recette still had a shop to run and could only schedule training sessions every so often, and Recette was firmly into what could only be called 'amateur' territory. Louie kept her on the absolute basics for the entire time. Holding the blade properly with the right grip and solid footing was more important and valuable than any fancy technique he could show her.

Today they were practicing against a straw dummy. Recette's practice sword was held firmly as Louie corrected her stance. For the most part he let her find her own rhythm for attacking and guarding; speaking out only to give her tips and keep her form proper. After an hour or so they end, mostly because Recette didn't have the strength to carry on. Sure she could carry lots of things in her pack, she was used to it from many dungeon explorations, but simply carrying things wasn't the same as fighting.

Unpacking the lunch she prepared, the two relaxed under the shade of a tree, enjoying the sandwiches Recette had prepared. Louie talked a bit how he was being hired more often by some high-end clients, and talked about getting a rather nice shield he had saw in Recette's store. They talked about Elan and Griff, wondering if they were already on their way back or not. Louie didn't completely dislike Griff. Sure he was rather blunt and tended to rub people the wrong way occasionally, but he was a good sparring partner, especially when one ignored the whole 'human-hating demon' thing. Personally, Louie thought the guy really just needed to relax. Perhaps take up a hobby or something.

Just as things started to wind down, the two were confronted by a young woman wearing a pink kimono-like garment and wielding a lance strapped to her back. "Oh! Recette, how convenient. I was just on my way to your shop," she said.

"Oh, Um, hi Nagi," she said both smiling a bit uncomfortably. Considering that her shop was halfway across town from this location, it seemed that Nagi's infamous 'sense of direction' was still in effect. "Er, well, the shop is closed right now. But I suppose I should go back and open it soon."

"Ah, no need to trouble yourself with that. I was only on my way there to talk to you about something. It's probably best that Louie hears it as well." Suddenly her expression turned somewhat serious. "It's about the dungeons Pensee manages…"

"What about them," Louie asked, concerned at the seriousness of Nagi's words.

"Apparently, they have been becoming a lot more dangerous than before. The Guild Master has already issued out some warnings about newcomer adventurers and such."

"But aren't dungeons always kinda dangerous," Recette mentioned.

"Maybe. But nothing quite like this. I tried looking for Arma to see if she knew anything, but no one has seen her all day. In fact, no one has seen her for the past few days if I recall." Recette frowned. It was true that Arma had been showing up to the shop less and less in recent times. At first she thought that the golem was merely busy, but if something were to really have happened to her again…

"It should be ok. Arma can take care of herself just fine," Louie said reassuringly. "Besides, we adventurers are always prepared for the dangers!" His confidence brought Recette's spirits up, before she jumped up, fist in the air.

"Right! So I better prepare my shop for when she gets back!" Recette started to pack up the remains of their lunch. "Thanks again Louie!"

"Of course! I should be free next weekend, so I'll come by the shop okay?"

"Yup! No problem!"

"It was good talking to you, Recette, Louie," Nagi said with a bow. "Sorry to have interrupted your date though." At the mention of the word 'date' both Recette and Louie blushed, looking away.

"I-I-I-it's not a date," Recette said, trying to hide behind the pack she was carrying.

"R-right! I was just teaching her some swordsmanship! Honest!"

"Hm? Quite a strange dating activity, but to each their own I suppose." Recette looked ready to faint, and she could swear she could see steam popping out of Louie's ears.

"A-a-anyway, I should be going, gottagobye!" With that, she made a hasty retreat back to the safety of her Item Shop. As she left Louie could only let out a sigh.

"Nagi… did you really have to say it like that?"

The girl, to her credit, did look a bit distressed at her friends' reactions. "Sorry. Perhaps I should have employed more tact? I've noticed you two always being together so I just assumed…"

"It's not like that," Louie said waving his hands in front of his body. Although a small part inside of him felt like he wouldn't have minded if Nagi's assumptions were correct.

Having made her way back to the shop, and having taken a significantly good amount of time to calm down, Recette entered her shop with an "I'm Back!" Tear came out the back, having just finished the last of the inventory-taking on her own, looking slightly displeased.

"You know, I would really appreciate you letting me know about these outings so I can plan ahead properly," she said in her 'I'm-lecturing-so-you-better-listen-up' tone. "Honestly Recette, you're rather lucky that we've gotten better at this to warrant such things in the first place."

"Ehehehe… sorry Tear. I promise it won't happen again." Thinking of her next visit from Louie, and what Nagi had said, made her blush again. "Uh, Tear, can I ask you a question?"

"Hm? Certainly Recette."

"How do you know if you… love someone?" The question seemed to stop the fairy in her tracks, even her wings stopping which caused her to be still in air for a moment before plummeting down. Recette quickly dived to catch her before she was hurt, but the fairy didn't even seem to notice what was happening around her. Recette was starting to panic. "Tear? Tear!? Oh no, I broke Tear!" She held up the fairy, trying to think of a way to snap her out of her trance. "Wake up Tear! I don't wanna run the shop by myself!"

"M-merde… stop shouting Recette. I'm not going to leave you to run the shop on your own. Heaven forbid it." Tear recovered and was flying again. "Anyway, what on earth brought about this question?"

"Oh! Um, nothing," Recette said quickly. "Anyway, let's set up the shop! Recettear is open for business!" The moment she said that, Louie came bursting into the shop. "Wow that was fast…"

"Recette, come quick," Louie said, his sword drawn. "Griff's back and there's trouble!" Recette quickly followed Louie, Tear right behind her as they made their way towards a nearby park. There before a marble fountain was the oddest sight Recette could imagine.

Griff, fighting one-on-one with a young female with a fairy by her side.


	8. First Impressions

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me this far! As your reward here it comes! The chapter that truly makes this story a crossover! The first meeting of the big three main characters! _

**_Shadow1176:_** _Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked the story so far. Yes, I have been focusing a lot on the characters as they are the ones who truly make these games shine. So I suppose the battles have been a little lacking as a result, but I'll definitely make up for it hopefully. The minor grammar things... well, not even spell-check is perfect, and I do re-read my chapters after I finish writing them, but some things do slip. It's good to know they are minor enough that it doesn't break the immersion. Also Recettear is by far my favorite Carpe Fulgur release. :)_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 8: First Impressions**_

"It's so… so… COOL!" Arche could barely contain her excitement at seeing the bustling town of Pensee. After several days at sea, she was eager to stretch her limbs and test her mettle. It came not too soon after leaving the port town of Seasburry. The monsters that attacked them did so without any abandon, their aggression clearly not lost on the three girls. They were stronger than the monsters that lived in Scotsholm in the sense their ferocity and lack of what some would call self-preservation was much greater than they were used to.

Needless to say, it was a good training experience. Of course, there were less monsters the closer they got to Pensee, as they tended to roam about in the dungeons nearby than outside in the wild. The three girls had also been intrigued by the Magic Crystals the monsters seemed to drop as they were defeated. While Griff explained the purpose of them, Stella was able to see them for what they were; unrefined Elemental Stones.

Of course, given the fragile and volatile nature of them, Stella wasn't sure if showing off their Elemental Stones would help them here. It seemed that the people here didn't know the refining techniques needed to make these crystals into something of a more permanent power, though their use still came as a shock when she noticed Griff absorbing them. Each of them tried to absorb them as well, but the power boost was almost completely negligible. Griff further explained how you needed lots and lots of them before a noticeable, permanent boost could be felt.

For now though, he was leading them through Pensee and on to Recette's shop. As much as he didn't like the fact that he was walking about in the daytime, he loathed the idea even more of revealing to these three where he lived. Hopefully, Recette would be able to take them off his hands, or at the very least lead them to a place to stay for the time being.

Meanwhile, Elise and Chante were walking through town, the young woman holding up a piece of paper with directions written on it. "Man, I can't believe that Elan guy ditched us…"

"He didn't 'ditch us' Chante, he said he was going to find his magician friend. Besides, this place he's sending us to, Recettear, is supposed to be a good place to rest. At least he gave us directions to go there," Elise said. Looking over the paper, she gazed around at her surroundings. "Let's see… It shouldn't be too far from here."

"Elise, look!" Elise looked to where Chante was pointing to see a tall, dark-skinned individual being followed by three girls and a flying creature. "That's… a demon?" Elise was also surprised. Demons were rarely seen among humans, especially during the daytime. "This smells like trouble."

"Should we investigate," Elise asked, before Chante flew off. "Hey, Chante wait up!"

Griff and the others noticed the two approaching, which got Arche extremely excited. "Oh wow, a real live fairy! Griff are these the people you talked about?"

"No," he said, narrowing his eyes. "I've never seen these people before."

"Hey! Hold it bub, what do you think you're up to, hm," the fairy spoke disapprovingly.

"None of your business, Fairy," he said. "Now I suggest you and your pet get out of our way," Griff continued, pushing her aside and motioning for the three to follow him.

"Hey, there's no need for that," the girl said, a hard edge to her tone. "Apologize to her."

"And are you going to make me," Griff asked, staring the girl down. This was seriously getting on his nerves right now. When she said nothing, but continued to glare Griff scoffed. "Exactly what I thought. Spineless."

"Griff, there's no need-," Sana began before she was interrupted.

"Hey! Don't you think you can get away with saying stuff like that, demon," Chante said flying near Elise.

"Again, are you going to make me?" This time, Elise drew her weapon, to which Griff prepared himself. "None of you interfere."

"Wha-? But-," Stella began.

"Don't interfere." Griff was stressed from having to deal with all those people on the boat, a bit tired from the constant traveling, and simply wanted to leave these three with Recette and get some proper sleep out of the sunlight. But right now, something to relieve a bit of the stress would be perfect and a fight would do just that. He readied his claws as the three girls could only think of one thing.

_How in the world did it escalate this quickly!?_

The two stared each other down, neither one quite yet willing to make the first move. Griff lost patience first and charged, both striking out at each other. There was a quick clash before they separated and lunged at each other once more. Angry that his strikes were ineffective, he dashed to the trees, using them as cover. Elise stood ready to defend, with Chante at her back, both looking around. The Demon seemed to have the edge on them for now.

"Elise, four o'clock!" The girl turned in time to deflect the blow Griff sent, with Chante already charging a water crystal. Elise unleashed her magic point blank, knocking Griff back as he sputtered to get rid of the water in his mouth. He looked livid as he charged his own magic up.

Several blue lights appeared around his body before zooming off to surround Elise. Instinctively she knew that she had to dodge and back-flipped just as they turned red, exploding in fire. "Whoa!" Several more were being conjured by Griff and Elise was now on the run, dodging through the trees to escape. The lights seemed to pass right through them though, so the blasts were always dodged by a hair's breath. One came far too close for comfort, the shockwave from the strike knocking her down and sending her tumbling into the dirt.

"Elsie, you ok," Chante said, flying by her head and checking her sister over for injuries.

"I'm ok, Chante," she said, covered in only minor scrapes from the fall. She brushed the dirt off her and stared down Griff. "I'll need a power boost here."

"On it!" Chante charged up and as if sensing what she was about to do Griff unleashed his dark power as well, his body covered in a darkened aura. "Get 'em sis!"

"Right," she said with conviction, charging forwards. Griff met her halfway, the force between their two blows knocking up some loose dirt on the ground. Both strained against one another, trying to gain leverage over their opponent. Neither was willing to give in though.

The three girls this whole time had merely stepped back in order to try and not get caught up in the fight, but it was soon becoming apparent that may no longer be possible. "Oh no, what do we do," Sana said.

"I don't think there is much we can do at this point," Stella said, looking at the two fighting. They knew that Griff was strong, but the girl was holding out well on her own. The two broke their clash, pushing each other back, sliding across the ground. They charged in again, heedless of the fact that two figures were approaching them intending on interrupting the fight.

"Enough!" A loud voice shouted out at them, distracting them all. Quickly, a young swordsman jumped in from behind Griff and parried the girl's attack with his shield. In sync with him an older man gave a solid punch to Griff's chest, which, while the demon was able to block it at the last minute still managed to knock him back. "Damn it Griff, what the hell? It's not like you to just be attacking others! And in broad daylight no less!"

"Back off, Priest," Griff said, clearly angry. "I'm not in the mood."

"Then get in the mood," the swordsman said, still facing the girl and fairy with his own blade raised. He didn't know if they were a threat yet, but it was best not to show his back to them. He knew that the man behind him would watch out for Griff on his behalf. "Unless you think you can take on the both of us?" Griff paused at that. Fighting one of them was something he could handle, but the two of them together would be trouble. Trouble he did not need.

Griff sighed, breathing deeply as he willed himself to calm his nerves and stood down. Honestly, he was ready to just call it a day and relax. Perhaps even read something, as it was the only other thing he did besides training. "Whatever. You're here, so show these three to Recette," he motioned to the girls. "I'm leaving." With that, he turned and walked away.

Everyone seemed stunned at the rather abrupt end to the fight, but no one complained. The swordsman let out a sigh, as Elise put away her sword. "Man. Always has to be difficult… sorry about that," he said. "I'm Louie, resident adventurer."

"It's fine. I'm Elise, and this is Chante," she said, introducing herself. "Elan, you know them?"

"Yeah, you can say that-,"

"Louie! Wait up!" Everyone turned to see another young girl with a fairy of her own running up to them. "You run too fast… where did Griff go?"

"Ah! A fairy," Chante said pointing to Tear.

"Two fairies," Arche exclaimed with stars in her eyes.

"Who are you girls anyway," Elan asked. "And why were you with Griff?"

"Er… well, Mr. Griff brought us here from Scotsholm," Sana said nervous before all the new faces.

"That's rather far from here," Tear said, looking them over.

"Um," Recette began, "This is all kinda confusing… can we start over?" Elan sighed, but realized that she was right. This could get really confusing really quickly. Plus he had already told Caillou where to meet him.

"Recette's right. Let's head to the store, we can gather ourselves there." He nodded to Recette with a smile. "Alright, lead the way."

"Yeppers! Just follow me!"

* * *

"Tada! Welcome to my store!" Elise, Arche, Sana, Stella, Chiffon, and Chante looked up to the two-story building that served as Recette's store and home, the sign 'Recettear' hanging over the door. "Come on in!" Proceeding to enter, the group seemed to naturally split into three, with Elise and Chante to one side, the three girls from Scotsholm in another area and the natives of Pensee by the counter. They couldn't help but be somewhat impressed at the layout of the store. Elise could admit that Aria didn't have as wide a selection as this Recette girl did. "Ok, so introduction time! My name is Recette and this is my partner Tear," she began as she presented the fairy flying by her side. "Together, we own this store!"

"A pleasure to meet you all," Tear said.

"My name is Louie," the young swordsman said, "professional adventurer."

"I'm Elan, an adventurer like Louie. I'm also a resident monk and one of Pensee's priests," the older man said.

"My turn then. I'm Elise, and this is my sister Chante," she said, pointing to the green-haired fairy sitting on her head. "We are wanderers I guess you can say."

"Sup," Chante said excitedly.

"I'm Arche! And this is my friend Chiffon," she said, hugging the Wind Elemental to her chest.

"Foo! Nice to meet you all!"

"My name is Sana," the shy girl said, not sure what else to say before the others.

"I am Stella, heir to the Mayberk Corporation in Scotsholm. These two are my classmates and… friends." She ended with a curtsy.

"Great! Now that we all know one another…" There was a gleam in the eyes of Recette and Arche before they started to gush over the objects of their fascination. "Ohmygosh he's so cute," Recette squealed over Chiffon.

"Wow, real live fairy! I've never seen one before," Arche said with stars in her eyes over Tear.

Tear and Stella both sighed and hung their heads, completely mirroring each other actions and sentiments. "Merde… Recette please try to contain yourself."

"Seriously Arche, must this be our first impression on these people?"

"Aw, but Tear he's so adorable!" Chiffon blushed a bit, looking rather pleased.

"Foo… thank you!"

"Hey! What the heck am I, chopped liver," Chante yelled. "I'm a fairy too darn it!" At that Arche moved on to her, causing Chante to puff out her chest in pride while Elise shook her head in exasperation.

"Um, Miss Elise," Sana said, causing Elise to turn to her. "You said Chante was your sister, right? How is that… even possible?"

"Oh! Well, it's kind of a long story actually," Elise said. "You see-."

"Hang on. We should wait for Caillou to get here," Elan said. "It'd be easier that way so you don't have to explain it so many times. He'll be here soon." Elise nodded, as Recette and Arche seemed to talk excitedly to Chiffon and Chante. Louie merely relaxed and thought about buying something while he was here. Even if Recette was occupied, Tear would be more than willing to sell him something. Even though he had the strangest feeling that she was analyzing him right now…

The wait wasn't long, as the door to Recettear opened. "Alright Elan, I came here so what do you… have… to… say…" Caillou's voice seemed to leave him as he noticed the rather large number of people looking at him right now. "Um… Elan, who are all these people?"

"Right, these people have come a long way, so just listen to what they have to say. Everyone, this is my magician friend-."

"YOUR'RE Caillou," Chante said in disbelief pointing to him. "Are you kidding me? Elan made you up to be some kind of hotshot magician and he'd just a kid!?" Louie couldn't help but laugh aloud at the bold declaration, with Recette giggling as well. Caillou's temper flared.

"Watch it! I'll have you know I'm one of the best magicians in Pensee!" Caillou hardly expected this type of welcoming, especially from a fairy. He had always believed that fairies were more… tactful than this. Tear had always seemed so.

"You have got to be kidding me! You're nothing but a brat!" Stella could only smirk, although it was more to Louie's reaction than anything else, as he was holding his side laughing with one hand, the other bracing himself on one of the counters to stop him from rolling on the ground in fits. Arche and Sana simply looked confused by their actions.

"Now, now," Elan said, trying to keep the peace. "Despite his looks, Caillou really is as good a magician as I told you." His face turned serious. "In any case, Caillou, have you and the other magicians come up with anything?"

"Only theories," he said, his face flushed as he tried to compose himself. "We still aren't entirely sure as to what's causing it, but…"

"Right. Then Elise and Chante, go ahead and tell him what you told me," Elan said. Elise nodded and proceeded to explain what Elma had said about the Elemental Kings and their role in keeping the balance of the world steady. Everyone listened as best they could, with Caillou thinking hard about what he was being told and comparing it to everything spoken of during the meeting he had attended.

"Well… it definitely sounds plausible. Something could definitely be happening to them."

"Well, this confirms it then," Stella spoke up, holding up her Elemental Stone. "Do any of you recognize this?" Everyone looked towards it but only Caillou, Tear and Chante knew exactly what it was the moment they saw. Both Chante and Caillou looked surprised, but Tear merely narrowed her eyes.

"That's a Magic Crystal," Chante exclaimed to everyone's shock.

"Not just that. It's a _stable_ Magic Crystal," Caillou said, looking at it in wonder. He quickly noticed that both Arche and Sana also had their own stones. "How in the world…?"

"My father's company makes these. You see, several hundred years ago, a famous sorceress named Minasa-Ratis discovered a way to create these, what we call Elemental Stones. They imbue a lot of power borrowed from the Elementals themselves. However, this stone," she said, holding up Royal Scarlet, "is a bit different. If I'm right, then it possesses some of the power of the Elemental King of Fire. And it definitely explains what the Dark Witch was after."

"Dark Witch," Recette asked.

"Yeah! She's a meanie who tried to steal our stones!"

"It's a bit more complicated than that Arche," Stella said. "Whoever this Dark Witch is, she's working for someone who may be responsible for the weakening Elementals. It could be that the only reason the world isn't completely out of order is that the presence of these Stones might be acting in place of the King's power. But it can't possibly do the job correctly which is why the decline is slower." She kept the fact that Griff seemed to know her to herself for now. It seemed from before that these people knew Griff from somewhere, but she wasn't sure just how much that the Half-Demon could be trusted. He had safely guided them here after all, so for now she wouldn't say anything.

"I've heard the name Minasa-Ratis before," Caillou said. "Just about anyone who practices magic has heard of her at least once. But to think she was able to perform such a feat… In any case, I also noticed you brought an Elemental with you."

"Yeah," Arche said, nodding to Chiffon. "Chiffon here is a Wind Elemental. But he lost his memories after he was sealed with my Elemental Stone," she explained, holding up hers. "We've been trying to help him remember, but we haven't had much luck."

"Tear, are you ok," Recette asked, when everyone noticed that she was hovering lower and lower, still staring at the Elemental Stones.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine Recette. I think I may need to lie down though."

"Tear, what's wrong," Recette said worryingly. Elise couldn't help but sympathize with her feelings though. Although they didn't say it outright, she could tell that the two of them were also like siblings, even if not in the literal sense.

"Recette, can we really trust these three," Tear stated, her eyes narrowing at them. "We've already had to deal with these stones before. Lest you forgotten what happened in the Lapis Ruins." Both Recette and Louie stiffened, remembering what had happened deep in that dungeon, when Tear and her fellow fairy Prime had been absorbed into a large Crystal used to awaken the ancient weapon known as the Geddon Device.

"Why would be untrustworthy!? I hardly see the point," Stella exclaimed.

"My former place of employment, Terme Finance, had a division where they were experimenting with Magic Crystals. Apparently, they were trying to emulate these Elemental Stones as you call them… but they were testing on using them to… work… using fairies to power them," Tear said, shuddering. She could still recall the cold and darkness from when she had been trapped. "They almost succeeded too, and attempted to use one of these crystals to awaken a powerful weapon, using one of our… friends, as its body."

"Using fairies to power Magic Crystals? That's sick," Chante exclaimed, angry at the thought.

"Speaking of fairies though… Caillou, have you heard of a curse that transforms people into them? Or perhaps you Miss Fairy," Elise asked.

"I've… never heard of such a thing," Tear said, looking at Chante. She had every bit of being a fairy, even down to the magical signature of one. She could hardly believe that she could have once been human.

"I've heard of transformation spells before, but never ones that have been used to turn people into other things." Caillou thought about it, trying to remember if he had ever heard of such a thing happening before. "I'd have to consult my books to know more though. You're saying you have been cursed?"

"Yeah. I used to be human, but I was cursed to being a fairy," Chante said. "I really am Elise's sister by blood, but ever since the curse… well, we tried to destroy the source of the curse, but apparently it wasn't enough. A friend of ours who was also cursed as well is trying to find a solution, but when Elan told us about you, we thought you might be able to help."

"Is there anything you can do for them, Caillou," Elan asked.

"Well… like I said, I will need to consult my books. Maybe there is some kind of clue. In the meantime, we need a plan of action. Given everything I heard it's probably for the best that we confirm things by trying to find an Elemental King."

"But… where would we even start looking," Sana asked. "For all we know they could be anywhere."

"Perhaps I can assist you," came a monotone voice. Everyone turned to the shop's entrance to see two women there. One had dark short hair wearing a top that exposed her midriff and shorts while the other had light green hair and mechanical, bulky hands. "Greetings Recette. Your shop wasn't open yet, so I wondered if everything was ok," she spoke in that same even tone.

"We heard a pretty interesting conversation," the other said, twirling a knife in one hand.

"Arma! Charme!"

"Merde… of all people," Tear said.

"If you are looking for an Elemental King, I know where to find one," Arma said in an even tone. Everyone looked surprised by that. "I discovered him while I was still had access to my administration functions within the Lapis Ruins. Given the events that occurred there, I had to ensure that he was pacified before explaining the situation to him. By my calculations, there is a high probably that he is still there."

"Really? That's great," Arche said looking determined. "Now all we gotta do is go down there and find him!"

"Hold on, it's not that simple. The Lapis Ruins are no place for beginners, and you're not even registered with the Pensee Adventurer's Guild yet," Louie explained.

"Aw man," Arche said, clearly bummed out.

"That's not a problem," Stella said assured of herself. "In that case, I can go in as a client, right? Just hire an adventurer to come with me and there's no problem."

"Great idea," Elan said. "Now the question is who else is going?"

"Well, considering Arma has to go, I figure I can sell my services to the young lady," Charme said. "It's been awhile since I had someone interesting than all the usual berks."

"You cannot seriously think of doing this," Tear said. "If you dare to rip-off an innocent young girl…"

"Relax, just because I'm a thief doesn't mean I'd do something like that. I'm still a registered adventurer after all," Charme said, waving her off.

"Regardless, we can't go," Tear said.

"Wha-? But why Tear! We have to go," Recette practically begged.

"We have a shop to run, and orders to fill out today. We can't ignore them," Tear said. Recette looked bummed out, but understood.

"Um…" Arche spoke up, "My dad runs an Item Shop back home. Maybe I can cover for you?"

"But Arche, shouldn't you register with the Guild?"

"Eh, I can do it later. Besides, I want to be able to help right now. You can help too Sana," Arche said determined.

"I'm not sure about this," Tear said unconvinced.

"I can help them out," Louie said. "I've been in the shop enough to know my way around. How hard could it be anyway?" Tear gave him a deadpan look that said it would be much harder than he was making it out to be, but sighed in resignation.

"Very well… I'll give you the order forms for today. Make sure they get filled." With that, she flew off into the back of the shop to get the forms.

"Ok, then I can take these two to the Guild to get registered," Elan said pointing to Elise and Chante. Elise nodded while Chante gave an encouraging shout.

"I best hit the books then. Excuse me," Caillou said, making his way out of the shop. "I'll come back if I find anything."

"Please be prepared for the trip everyone," Arma said. "Expect to spend at least one week traveling down there. We might be faster this time around due to our experience though."

"Are you sure you're ok with it," Recette asked worried. "I mean, with what happened last time…"

Arma gave Recette a small, but reassuring smile. "Do not worry Recette. I doubt it would end up like what happened last time. But I thank you for worrying." Her expression returned to its neutral form. "We should still be prepared for anything."

"Right. Good thing I brought a bit of money. Though I'm not entirely used to this 'Pix' currency," Stella said somewhat dismayed.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure hiring me is worth every Pix," Charme said.

"Right! Gotta pack for four. The finest items for dungeon traveling, thanks to your friendly neighborhood Recettear," Recette said, heading to the back. Tear would ensure to keep their supplies light by bringing only the necessities. Besides, there was likely to be plenty of things down there they could sell in the shop later.

"Right! Let's move out soon," Charme said, excited. "We got us a… wait, what were we looking for again?" Everyone nearly fell over at that. Hopefully things would turn out okay in the end…


	9. Dungeon Crawling 101

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 9: Dungeon Crawling 101**_

* * *

Stella Mayberk was not one to waste an opportunity. She had been taught that much by her parents and it came with having a family that built themselves a fortune rather than simply inheriting one. So when it came to having to use the special barriers that protected clients from monsters while within the dungeons, she made sure to use them as needed, but not too often. She needed to learn how to combat these kinds of monsters because she would not simply stand by and let others do things for her, at least not the things that really mattered.

Still, it was harder than it looked, and with time of the essence, she didn't fight too often. Thankfully, she was able to handle the slime monsters easily enough with her fire magic, while most of the others were dispatched by Charme or Arma. She really considered wanting to test her mettle against those tougher monsters, and subsequently blamed such attitude on Arche rubbing off on her. Even if a part of her was a tiny bit curious to see just how far she had come with her magic.

Still, it was amazing to see Charme and Arma in action. The thief whom she was responsible for hiring, quickly and efficiently moved from target to target, using her speed to dodge attacks headed her way while making swift strikes to each creature's weak point, taking them down with minimal effort. Of course, what defined 'minimal effort' became harder to pinpoint after two days of traveling down the dungeon. They were currently on the thirty-fourth floor, making much better time than expected.

Arma, it seemed, was virtually unstoppable and it wasn't hard for Stella to see why. When she first saw Arma able to change her 'fists' into a variety of weapons, she had naturally expressed interest in it. This would be the polite way of saying she had freaked out a bit. Recette and Charme explained to her that Arma was a golem and therefore was a bit different from normal humans, even though she could still emulate them to a certain degree. Seeing her weapons arsenal really made her wonder though.

A Roper charged from behind, which was swiftly cut down by Arma's buzz saws, before turning to another Eye Bat and unleashing a flamethrower. Charme quickly reappeared by Stella's side, striking another bat as it came close. Though the barrier would have protected her, she was rather startled by how easily it seemed the monster had gotten close to her as Recette kept a lookout for any other monsters coming. "Charme look out!" The thief quickly turned as an armored knight attempted to slam his sword into Charme's side, which she was able to quickly block with her daggers. The thief's eyes traced the knight's path to a hallway that she had missed in her initial look-over of the room, having believed it to be a dead end otherwise.

"Get off!" Charme pulled back and threw a small orb at the creature, which expanded into a sticky web that stopped it in its tracks. Arma came from behind, striking it with her fists and causing the creature to break apart. "Thanks for that." The shadows flickered in the wake of the torchlight that illuminated this part of the dungeon which was meant to replicate a cave. Even now, most people didn't know why the dungeons changed looks and shapes with every new visit.

They were on high alert for any other surprises. Thankfully, they were safe for now. "We shouldn't stay here. We have to at least get to the next safe zone," Arma said.

Charme quickly agreed and they were off again. On the first day, Stella had asked why things like 'safe zones' were needed. Tear explained about the creatures called 'Will-o-Wisps' as 'living embodiments of fire and hate' that would relentlessly chase down adventurers who lingered too long on the floors. The only way to avoid them would be to either retreat into the client's barrier, which was only allowed on trips that took multiple days to finish, descending the dungeon floors before they showed up or by camping out in 'safe zones' every certain amount of floors, which were usually guarded by more powerful monsters than the typical ones found on every level.

_I can definitely feel myself getting stronger though… is it because I'm also absorbing these Magic Crystals too?_ Indeed, she could tell she was getting much stronger than before. She wondered if she surpassed both Arche and Sana, and she knew that Arche at the very least would be eager to train in some of these dungeons. At first the crystals had tingled wherever they were absorbed, but after a while she had gotten used to it. She knew that soon enough even her spells would have almost a negligible effect on the creatures, so she made sure to absorb as much as possible to strengthen herself. They were simply getting more and more powerful, so much that even the slime monsters from before couldn't be easily taken out right now.

_I wonder how Arche and Sana are doing right now,_ she wondered as they descended to the next level. She could honestly admit she missed their presence. After always traveling together, to be separated now seemed wrong to her somehow. Of course, she couldn't contact them, at least not without leaving the dungeon itself. For now, she resigned herself to being the one representing them in this journey.

"You know, you seem to be keeping up well enough," Charme said to Stella. Indeed, when she found the girl helping them fight in the upper floors, she was moderately impressed. Of course, she had only taken out the weaker monsters, but it was still something to be said. After all, Recette never fought, though she wouldn't be surprised if it was because Tear would forbid it. The fairy did care for her in her own way after all.

"Well, I do plan on becoming a great magician myself in the future one day, running my father's company aside," Stella said.

"Well, you certainly take this better than some other rich girl I know," the thief said. She had once made the choice of being part of the group of adventurers hired by a young lady known as Alouette, who was the heir to one of the biggest item shop chains known as Big Bash. The girl had money up to her ears and would often spend it haphazardly however she saw fit. Charme had joined her and if not for the big payout would have instantly tried to get out of it. The girl also had her own fairy companion, named Prime, who almost seemed reluctant to even be with her at times. Charme was good at reading people though, it helped when it came to thieving after all, and she could see the connection the two shared, even if they acted like it didn't exist in public.

"Alouette isn't that bad," Recette said cheerfully, despite the rich girl's self-proclaimed talk of being her 'rival'. "She's got a soft spot for Prime after all."

"Yes, yes… now should we hurry along," Tear said. "The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can get back to the shop. Honestly Recette, we cannot afford to keep going on these long dungeon treks."

"Don't worry about it," Stella said. "Despite her looks, Arche can be responsible when she needs to be. Though I do agree we should hurry. My feet are starting to hurt from all this walking."

"Let us make haste then," Arma said, as some kobolds emerged to fight. She switched to her machine gun.

"Right! We got reliable companions after all," Recette said. "What's the worst that can happen?"

* * *

"Um… hi, can I help you?"

"Oh no, oh no. Rather it's how I can help you," a young woman said. She had purple colored hair and purple colored eyes that glinted with mischievousness. She had come into the store today to try and sell something to Recette, only to find another, different girl at the counter with yet another stranger helping other customers. She didn't know where the usual Recette and Tear were, but that was fine by her. The fairy often advised the girl not to buy anything from her unless she brought out the _actual_ good stuff she had stashed away, loathe as she was to resort to selling it. But this new face presented new opportunities for her and that would work well in her favor.

After all, as the saying went, a sucker was born every minute. And the girl had a face that just screamed 'Exploit Me!' which was exactly what she intended on doing.

"You see, you might not have heard of me, but I supply Recettear with some of the more… unusual items to sell. Really rare stuff you know," she said. "Normally I deal with Recette directly, but you look like you know value when you see it."

"Oh! Um, thanks I guess," Arche said a bit flattered.

"Yes, and that's why I had to come by when I was able to discover this little gem," she said, pulling out a simple gold statue from her pack. "A real treasure this one. It normally sells out for quite a bit, but I was thinking a mere fifty thousand Pix would suffice for me." Of course it was a lie, the statue was something that could be commonly found in many of the deeper parts of some dungeons and rarely went for higher than five thousand Pix. Of course, the girl didn't know that and that was perfectly fine by her.

"That seems a bit… expensive," Arche said uncertainly. Was something like this really worth so much?

"Not when you think of the profits you'll make with this beauty. Really, selling it as low as I am to you, it's a steal," she said, keeping on her charming smile.

"Well…"

"Hey Arche, I got those swords," Louie said coming out of the back carrying a big box. "Man these are heavier than I thought… At least in bulk anyway." As he put them down he noticed the woman at the counter and narrowed his eyes. "You!"

"Oh hey," she said instantly becoming nervous. "How you doing? Er, those bottles of sword polisher working out for you?"

"Of course," Louie said bitterly, gripping his hand on the handle of his blade. "Want to take an up close look?"

"I'd love to, but would you look at the time, I seem to have a prior engagement I need to address." She turned to Arche as she put away the statue. "We'll do business another time. Later!" And with that she practically ran out of the store.

"Um… who in the world was that," Arche asked as Sana came up to the counter leading another person, an elderly man, with his purchase.

"That was Euria," Louie said. "And trust me when I say you don't want to have anything to do with her. Whatever you do, don't buy anything she offers you. She's a con artist." Louie couldn't count the number of times she had scammed him into buying completely useless things for ridiculous prices. He had thankfully wised up to her actions, but it seemed like she wasn't so ready to change her ways from trying to make a big profit in as quickly a time as possible.

"Eh!? Really, that's mean," Arche said, cheeks puffing out. "How dare she try to trick me! My dad wouldn't fall for tricks and neither will I!"

"My, my, such vigor in youth," the older man said coming up to them and holding a hooded sweatshirt. "That young lady certainly knows how to hire staff! It's good to see she is doing well for herself. Anyway, I'd like to buy this please."

"No problem," Arche said as she rang out his total.

"Thank yoo," Chiffon said good-naturedly before flying off to entertain some of the younger kids who were shopping with their parents. The kids really seemed to be taken with him as he flew around the store.

"Everything is going well… but I really hope Stella is okay," Sana said worried for their friend. Of course, having not seen her in two days would make one worry. "I hope she'll be alright."

"Don't worry, she should be fine. The barrier the Adventurer's Guild gives to the clients will ensure her safety no matter what," Louie said reassuringly. "Though they will probably still have a long way to go. The first time Recette and I went down there, it took us almost two weeks to reach the bottom. It's a hundred floors deep after all."

"Two weeks!? Oh man, maybe I should have gone in instead," Arche said.

"Relax. Arma's with them and she definitely knows her way around dungeons. I wouldn't expect it to take that long, considering that they have twice the firepower this time." While Louie wouldn't completely recommend Charme as a guide, considering that the first time they met she had attempted to rob Recette, his first ever client and gotten in a fight with him, he couldn't deny that her skills were top notch. What she lacked in pure power she made up for in mobility and hit-and-run tactics. And while Charme was a bit shifty and a bit of a booze hound (though nowhere near as bad as Elan, even combining his and her track records) she could be dependable, especially with the right motivations.

Of course, he had seen his fellow adventurers Nagi and Tielle come by the shop, the latter of whom after asking where Recette was joked about how Louie had finally gotten so desperate he had to resort to working for Recette. But Griff had been mysteriously absent this whole time. Even though Recette had mentioned that he preferred to shop in the evenings, he had not seen any sign of the Half-Demon since stopping the fight between him and Elise. He had to wonder what he was doing and why he seemed to be avoiding the shop.

Thinking about it he also wondered how Elise was doing. Today was the day Elan would take her to the Hall of Trials to complete her registration and make her an official adventurer. Hopefully she would pass. She certainly seemed strong enough, but the dungeons around Pensee could be tricky.

For now though, he set the store's sign to 'Closed' to prepare for a much needed break. His thoughts were already turned to a nice big serving of Beef Bowl and he wondered if Tear would notice it being gone from the stock.

* * *

"Watch out! Behind us!"

"I know, I know!" Elise turned and slashed at the slime that was attempting to strike her from behind. The room she was in was rather large, and there were several monsters within. Most of them were slimes, but there was also a single kobold in the mix, throwing at them what looked like chestnuts. Elise would have wondered where it even found such things if not for the fact that it would throw them with enough force to really hurt. A fact made present when she was hit in the back of the head by one, causing her to see stars. She managed to regain her bearings and dive to the side to avoid another slime.

"You know, a little help would be nice here," Chante shouted to Elan who was watching the fight while leaning against a nearby wall.

"You have to remember that most clients won't know how to fight. And if I helped you now, you'd never be ready." It was rather interesting for him to see what it was like on the other side of the barrier for once. Not that any of these monsters would have given him trouble. But Elise was clearly not used to how the dungeons operated yet. He had seen her take out the monsters in the wilderness and these were no different.

Elise quickly wiped some sweat from her forehead, careful not to let it get in her eyes as she tried to keep an eye on the monsters. The kobold seemed perfectly fine with staying in the back line and letting the slimes get within range of her sword. The two slimes before her seemed to quiver in anticipation. _Wait, two? There should be…!_ She quickly spun on her heel, swinging her blade as she cut in half the third slime that had been sneaking up behind her. Doing so allowed the other three monsters to attack. She fell on to her chest, sword escaping her grasp. _Damn, this shouldn't be this hard! I've fought monsters like this before, so what changed?_

Indeed, there was nothing special about the room she was in, simple walls and floors with abundant amounts of light to let her see her surroundings. The fact that it was rather big though was no different than the vastness of being in nature, with the exception that there was nothing here to hide behind.

Elise rolled forward, just escaping the pounce of the remaining slimes, quickly grabbing her sword and facing the monsters. "Elise, get ready!" A fiery glow surrounded her as Chante finished charging the spell, thankful for the crystals the defeated enemies dropped. "Burn them down!"

"Right! Fire!" Elise unleashed the magic, striking both slimes, though the kobold jumped away in time. The slimes both bubbled up from the intense heat before bursting into Magic Crystals. Chante took some for storage for later, leaving Elise to absorb the rest of them. "One left!" She chased down the kobold, which was trying its best to back off and throw more chestnuts at the girl. In its haste the creature tripped, which was enough to give Elise the opening to strike it down. Finally finished, she gave the room one last sweeping glance before resting. Taking a Walnut Bread from her pack, she broke off a piece for Chante and bit into the rest of it, letting the tasty snack help replenish her energy.

"Not too bad, considering all the constant fighting you've had to do up to this point. I take it you've never fought this long without a break, right," Elan said walking up to them.

"We've traveled all over before, but these monsters are a lot stronger than I remember them being," Chante said, looking at Elise with some worry. "We've never had trouble before."

"Chante's right. Are you sure monsters here aren't stronger than in the wild?"

"Well, maybe. The monsters we saw while traveling together weren't that strong. But then again, I've been doing this adventurer thing for quite a while, so maybe I'm just used to it," Elan said with a shrug. "In any case, we still need to find the teleport pad to the next floor. It should be the last one."

"Ah! Why do these dungeons have to be mazes? Can't it just be like 'go here' and 'go there' and be done with it," Chante said frustrated.

"Pensee's dungeons are known as 'living dungeons' for a reason. It's why the special maps the Guild gives you only record what you've seen. It's rarely the same twice, save for the safe zones," Elan said. Of course he didn't know why these dungeons had the properties they did. He was sure that Arma probably had tried to explain it, but if she had then he couldn't remember it. Well, it wasn't like he needed to know the whys and hows of it. "Come on, we should get going. After you, miss adventurer."

"Thanks," Elise said, as she checked her map and made her way down a hallway she hadn't gone through yet. Hopefully she could be done soon and take a break. That and she couldn't help but be excited about being a real adventurer, if only for a while. While she did like Pensee, she found that the familiarity with Aria was a greater comfort to her than whatever life she could build here.

If anything though, she would have great stories to tell when she made it back.


	10. Underground Battle

_A/N: Apologies for missing last week's update due to issues with my life. I will normally update every week unless I specifically say I'll be taking a break in my author notes. Hopefully it won't happen again, but hey, that's life. For now, we return to our regularly scheduled Chapter update. Enjoy!  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 10: Underground Battle**_

* * *

"Keep moving!" Charme's shout echoed out into the hallway, as she, Arma, Stella and Recette ran down the corridor, with Tear holding onto Recette's dress for dear life. Behind them, several monsters were chasing, almost falling on top of one another in their haste to reach them. It was almost a week into the venture of exploring the Lapis Ruins and they were finally near the end. Unfortunately, that meant the strongest of the monsters were there to greet them, their bodies seemingly devoid of all color. An unending stream of grey that was set on but a single goal: to destroy anything in their path.

They avoided most fights if they could help it, roughly twenty floors ago. At this point, with time still of the essence, fighting them would take far too long, even with two adventurers. Moreover, neither of them had ever ventured this far down into the dungeon before. Arma may have technically, but considering she wasn't in her right state of mind at the time, she discredited that experience. As such they had to be a bit stealthy in their movement and when caught, a bit more flighty. Thankfully, most monsters weren't that quick and after a while they would lose sight of them.

Quickly turning another corner, they saw the goal in sight. A magic circle that would teleport them to the next, and final, floor. "There," Stella shouted, giving another burst of speed to help them along. They quickly stepped into the circle, the magic within it activating before they were whisked away from harm's path. When they reappeared, on the hundredth floor, Stella and Charme could only gaze in wonder at what they saw. "Unbelievable!"

"Those are all…" Charme began, but couldn't find the words. The four stood on a large patch of floating, hexagon-shaped platforms that seemed to make up the entirety of the floor. From the edge, far below, one could see the massive amounts of Magic Crystals, extending out as far as they could see, past the darkness. The platforms themselves seemed to glow underneath them, which was why they were able to see around. There didn't appear to be any other light sources in the room, and there was no telling how far the crystals extended out into the unknown.

Though while Stella and Charme could only stare in amazement at the scenery, Recette, Tear and Arma could only try to repress their feelings about being back here. Some joyous, but equally painful memories had been made down here. Recette had nearly lost two important people to her, and she suddenly wished for Louie to be down here as well, if only to take comfort in his presence. He had been battered and beaten at the time, but still tried his very hardest to foil the plot of Avall, the president of Terme Finance, in his attempt to control the dungeons of Pensee and save Arma, Tear and Prime from his grasp. She didn't notice Tear fail to repress a slight shiver, though she did notice that she was flying lower to the ground than usual. Recette placed a finger against her back, as if to remind her of her presence.

At the far end of the room, a teleportation magic circle appeared, glowing with a purple light. The four looked surprised, but Stella instantly became wary as she recognized the person who had just appeared. A young girl with blonde hair and pointed ears, wielding a staff and dressed in a dark top and skirt materialized before them. The young teen girl looked around and noticed the four staring at her, which slightly surprised her. "Well, I didn't expect to see anyone come down here. My, such brave adventurers you all are," she said smiling. Now, she knew, was not the time to give herself away.

"Don't think you can just talk your way out of this, Dark Witch," Stella challenged, stepping forwards. Selene looked surprised at being addressed as such, but narrowed her eyes when she saw who had spoken.

"Ah… I remember you. You're one of those brats with the rare Elemental Stones. I believe I have a debt to repay to you and your annoying friends. Where are they by the way? I noticed you seemed to have ditched them."

"You…!"

"Hold up, I think we should be asking the questions here," Charme said raising her dagger.

"Quite. We've heard about you from Stella and the others. Why are you here," Tear demanded.

"Hm? A fairy? Why should I answer that anyway? I guess the oh-so wondrous race of the Fae really were just overblown stories if you can't figure it out on your own," Selene mocked. "I don't have time for you Fairy," she continued, "so why not just fly home. I have other things to deal with. I'll pay back my debt to you later, brat." Selene began to charge up magic to activate the special magic that would allow her to escape the dungeon.

"We can't let her get away!"

"How do you know Griff?" Stella's question threw everyone off guard, shocking Selene into stopping her magic and staring wide-eyed at her before they narrowed.

"How do you know Griff? Where is he anyway?" The four couldn't be sure, but she sounded almost… hopeful? Desperate? It was hard to make out just what she seemed to be feeling about it, but they knew that whatever it was, the existence of Griff's whereabouts was important to her.

"As you have stated earlier, why should we tell you," Arma challenged, preparing her machine gun.

"If you wanna know, then you'll have to make us tell you," Charme said grinning.

Selene looked conflicted. On the one hand, she was under orders to get in, complete her task, and get out. Fighting was not in the equation and while she was confident in her abilities, her task had left her quite drained. She wasn't sure how well they could fight, but she did recall the girl with the flames knew what she was doing and the other one with the fairy would likely be trouble as well. On the other hand…

The temptation was too much. She _had_ to see him, after so long… "Hmph!" She raised her staff, preparing her magic again.

"Wait… you're a demon, right," Recette asked.

"Huh? Well, yeah, duh. Can't you tell," Selene said annoyed at being interrupted.

"You… don't look like Griff. I mean, he's all tan and stuff," she said, taking note of the fact while trying to wrap her head around the fact that apparently this person and him knew each other. Griff had never mentioned her before. "Are you supposed to be a girlfriend or something?"

"G-g-g-girlfriend!?" Selene couldn't help but blush at the accusation. "N-no! What are you even suggesting!? I would never be so pretentious to claim something like that! Griff-sama would never…" she mumbled at the end, looking highly embarrassed. Everyone looked slightly off-beat at the way the conversation had taken a weird turn.

Tear, however, noticed how the girl seemed to say Griff's name in high regard. _So… he definitely means something to her. But what?_ She knew that Selene wouldn't tell and it was highly likely that Griff wouldn't either.

Composing herself once more, Selene shouted, "Enough of this! Come forth!" Several spell circles appeared, as eight beasts rose up from them. Four looked to be black-furred leopards of some kind, while the other four were winged beasts of stone with powerful jaws filled with sharp teeth and claws ready to cut through them. "These should be more than enough for you all."

"Damn, that's a lot of enemies," Charme said frustrated. One of them needed to confront the demon head on, but leaving the other to face all eight of the monsters summoned.

"I can help," Stella said, holding up her own dagger. "Just make sure to get that witch to talk!"

"Right! Arma, a boost if you can!"

"Affirmative." Arma placed both hands on the ground, allowing Charme to step on them. With her superhuman strength, it was easy for her to launch the thief over the wall of monsters and into Selene's face.

"Stop her you fools!" The monsters were ready to act on command, but Stella was ready for them.

"Fire Wall!" The largest wall of flames she could conjure erupted between the monsters and their master, cutting the battlefield in half and leaving Charme to face Selene on her own. "I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold this, so hurry!"

"On it! Ok, let's dance," Charme said rushing in daggers at the ready.

"Get those other girls, now," Selene commanded as she summoned her magic hammer and attempted to strike at the thief. Charme was agile though, and easily dodged the attempted attack, attempting her own counterstrike to the demon's side. Selene quickly summoned a few electric spheres for protection, having them circle around her constantly to cover her and forcing Charme back before she could be zapped.

"Nice trick! Let me show you mine!" Charme brought her hands together and focused, causing a nearly transparent clone of herself to emerge. She charged forwards again, the copy following along, though she wasn't directly aiming towards her this time. Instead, she was letting the clone head straight in. Selene looked confused as the thief swung her dagger, but realized a moment too late that the copy was also doing the same motions and what it was really meant for. Selene levitated and attempted to dodge, but the copy's dagger cut into her side. Worse for her yet was the fact that the electrical spheres passed through the clone's body without seeming to harm the original or dispel it.

"Don't you dare think this will be easy!" Selene summoned more electrical spheres, though this time she threw them at Charm, who was forced to back away and dodge. She nearly lost her balance as she was forced to the edge. "End of the line," she shouted, summoning several spheres and launching them from all sides, intent to strike her and hopefully make her fall.

Charme had a trump card though. "Flame Charge!" She dashed forwards at the sphere directly in front of her, her body covered in flames. She broke through it, though not without injury. The electric energy coursed through her body briefly, but she was able to quickly shrug off the effects. She knew it could have been a lot worse though. "Sorry, but I don't go down that easy. Try to step up your game, old hag."

"I AM NOT OLD," Selene shouted, the comment causing her to recklessly start throwing more spheres. Charme was able to dodge them easily, smirking as her strategy was working. Enraged enemies were often easier to predict and thus gave her openings. She back flipped as she avoided another hammer strike, but to her surprise, she noticed that the platform she was standing on was sinking lower than the others.

_This can't be good…_

On the other side of the flames, Stella was summoning her fire magic to keep the leopards at bay, though it was weaker than she could normally conjure. She knew she couldn't use many of the spells she was accustomed to, as it was taking most of her concentration and mana to maintain the fire wall that separated the two fights. "Stella, catch!" Stella turned briefly to Recette's call and reached out her hand instinctively from having Arche tossing her items on the battlefield to see a small takiyaki in her hand. Knowing what it did, she quickly ate the treat as one of the leopards pounced in seeing her momentarily distracted. The effect was instant though and she blasted the monster in the face with renewed firepower.

"I think it's time to even the battlefield a little. Come forth to me, servant of fire! Cerberus!" A magic circle formed on the ground and from it a servant of her own appeared, a hellhound with dark fur and a body perpetually on fire. The beast charged and tackled two of the leopards dragging them away from its master. The other two circled around Stella, growling and baring their fangs. She tried to not keep her back to either of them, but it was hard to do so.

"Recette, what are you doing!?" Stella turned to Tear's shout of surprise and fear to see Recette charging at one of the monsters whose back was turned to her. To her shock, she saw the girl holding a short sword, and she gave a battle cry before slashing at the monster. It let out a howl of pain and twisted itself away from her. Recette quickly brought her back to Stella holding up the sword shakily.

"What are you doing," Stella couldn't help but ask.

"I'm gonna help too! Man, Louie makes this look so much easier though," Recette said as Tear flew above her.

"Recette, have you lost your mind!? Get back under the barrier now!"

"No! I'm not gonna just sit by and watch! Not again," she said determinedly. She reinforced her grip and stance, like the hundreds of times Louie had instructed her to. She wasn't sure how powerful these monsters were, but everything she had ever learned was about to come down to here and now.

One of the leopards pounced at Recette, who swung her sword in a wide arc. The creature nimbly dodged the clumsy attack, but was nearly singed when Stella followed up with a fire spell. Stella ducked as Recette swung in a circle, catching the other monster who had attempted to attack the mage's back by surprise and knocking it aside. It was a lucky strike to be certain and didn't do nearly as much damage as one who could properly wield the blade could do, but she would take it. Unfortunately, her lack of skill had left her open as the other monster slashed at her. Recette tried to dodge, but the monster's claw hit her left shoulder, causing her to drop her blade in pain. "Hang in there, Recette," Stella said, trying to protect them both.

Arma, for her part, was doing rather well against the gargoyles. She had attempted to use her machine gun against them, but their stone-like skin had simply deflected the bullets and fire wasn't likely going to be much. That still left her with her punches and blade saws though, as she focused down one of them at a time. Though her bulk wouldn't allow for much dodges, her raw strength was more than enough to combat them. "The hell is with this one," one of the gargoyles said in surprise.

"No idea, but the Mistress wants her out of commission," another said.

The four charged in from all directions, but Arma calmly threw out her saws on three of them, forcing them back, while switching back to her fists to take on the one approaching from the front head on. Arma's fist broke through the monster's guard, destroying it and releasing the magic crystals it contained before absorbing them. "No! Jeffery! You'll pay for that!"

"If you truly believe that, then come. I have other business to attend to," Arma said calmly, which unnerved the resolve the monsters. Loyal they were, but they weren't mindless beasts like the many others of the dungeon. They had some sense of self-preservation.

"GAH!" Everyone turned to see Charme come flying though the fires, bruised up and looking worse for wear. "If I can borrow a phrase from Tear… Merde that hurt." Stella lowered the flames and saw to her surprise that most of the arena beyond the fires had vanished. Recette cursed to herself for forgetting the fact that the platforms they were on were unstable ones and could be broken. Selene floated above the abyss with a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"Not so confident when you have nothing to jump to, huh?" A howl distracted her for a moment as she saw the hellhound Stella summoned vanish, having taken down two of the leopards before succumbing. "Well now, looks like things are progressing well enough. But I think it's time to stop playing with you." Selene began to draw a great amount of magic to herself.

Floating away from them, they all knew there was little they could do to stop her, especially with all the monsters still left around. Knowing there wasn't much time left, Arma ran to the furthest edge of the arena and faced everyone, holding up her hands and drawing upon all her power at once. It was a risky move to be sure, but if it worked, there would be much less to deal with.

To everyone's shock, a large machine seemed to come into existence in front of Arma. She griped it solidly, as several scopes aligned themselves and she looked through them. Automatically several targets were marked as enemies, leaving behind only her friends as safe targets that the attack wouldn't harm. The weapon began charging, at an even faster rate than Selene could gather her magic, as the witch switched to a defensive spell. "Arma, no," Recette called out, knowing what she was about to do.

"Vector Cannon, fire!" A large beam of energy shot out, covering all but the furthest left and right edges of the arena. The monsters had been instantly vaporized by the intense energy, though Selene was able to put up a barrier around herself in the nick of time. Recette, Tear, Stella and Charme only felt the warmth of the energy pass over them, though they all closed their eyes at the bright light. When it was over, only Selene had managed to make it out ok, though she was breathing heavily as she knelt down on the platform she was on. It had taken all her strength to maintain the barrier. If she hadn't been weakened earlier with her mission, she knew that she could still keep fighting. Now, however, was the time to retreat.

"What in the world was that," Stella said seeing the damage caused.

"That was Arma's secret weapon," Tear explained, having seen it used before against Louie. "The Vector Cannon."

"Arma!" Recette ran to the edge of the platform where Arma had been standing. It was then that Stella and Charme realized that she was no longer there. "Arma, can you hear me!? Say something," Recette yelled into the abyss.

"No way… what happened?"

"That attack… has great recoil. Likely, she fell off," Tear said.

"What? Is she going to be okay," Charme asked.

"I… do not know," Tear said uncertainly.

Selene finished charging the spell to teleport her out of here as the four were distracted by the golem's apparent sacrifice. _That was bad… to think I was nearly defeated again… but the mission was a success, so I best leave. Still… Griff…_ She shook her head, pushing the thought aside. The knowledge that Griff was close was good enough for her. She knew that she would meet with him again, perhaps soon.

Stella turned to face the witch, noticing her spell. "Stop!"

"Sorry, but I've afraid I have to cut this dance short. We'll meet again, and next time I'll be at full strength to crush you!" With those parting words, she teleported out.

"No… she got away." Stella sat down, noticing how tired she felt. Charme was busy with Tear bandaging Recette's shoulder wound. Now that the adrenaline rush had ended, she was in serious pain. Still, Tear and Charme had managed to treat the wound and it wouldn't scar thankfully. Charme thankfully was looking fairly okay, merely a few magic burns and bruises, but nothing she knew she couldn't recover from.

"We gotta do something! We have to see if Arma is ok!"

"I know what you mean Recette, but we can't just go down there. We cannot fly," Charme said.

"I… suppose I could scout it out," Tear said uncertainly. "But if there are monsters down there, I don't know if I can do much."

"Tear… do you think you can? We have to make sure," Recette said hopeful.

"No, that's way too risky Recette and you know it," Charme said.

"We must do something," Stella said, rejoining the group's conversation. "Arma is the only one who knows where the Elemental King is." Before they could continue to speak, the platform they were on glowed blue, a magical barrier surrounding them. Charme tried to break through, but it held fast. The platform began to sink down, but unlike the fast drops from being broken, this was more of a gentler pace. "What now?"

"I think this is… an elevator," Tear said. Traveling down, they noticed that the light was able to illuminate their surroundings somewhat. The Magic Crystals were beginning to tower over them, the giant natural formations of them jutting out like spires. When they reached the bottom, Stella created a small fire to light up the way, as they set themselves down onto the stable ground. Ensuring the elevator wouldn't be heading back up to strand them, they walked in the direction Arma would likely be located.

It didn't take long before they spotted the prone figure on the ground. "Arma!" They ran to the fallen golem, with Recette quickly taking out recovery items. "Arma, are you ok?"

"My internal functions are operational," Arma said slowly. "Though my motor functions seemed to have been damaged."

"Eh? So are you ok?"

"She's fine Recette," Tear said. "A few healing items and she should be fit to move again."

"Geez, way to show off," Charme said laughing. "You scared them good! Talk about serious firepower!"

Arma said nothing for the moment, before turning to Recette and saying "I believe the proper term to use by most people is, 'shut up'. Am I correct?"

"Most indeed," Stella said, looking exasperated at Charme's lack of tact.

"Hey come on, I'm trying to lighten it up a little," the thief said. "We won, so that's all good, right?"

"Perhaps, but the fact that the Dark Witch was here before us does not bode well," Stella said. "We still need to find the Elemental King and make sure he's alright."

"_**There is no need for that, my child."**_ Everyone jumped at the sound of the voice from all around them. _**"It has been quite some time… but I do recognize Algorn's power, faint as it may be."**_ Stella perked up. Algorn was the name of the supposed Elemental King of Fire that powered her own Elemental Stone.

"Please, we need to speak to you," Stella said. "My Stone was given to my family to safeguard! It was entrusted to us by Minasa-Ratis herself!"

"_**That name is one I too recall. How many years has it been since I last heard of her…"**_ One of the nearby crystals began to glow, and a giant figure emerged from it. It seemed to take the form of some cat-like beast, with golden fur, long whiskers and glowing blue and red markings on its body. The fur looked to have lost much of its luster, and the markings' glow seemed to have been far dimmer than what might have been normal. Though the creature had an air of elegance to it, it also looked worn and tired, as if it just came from some great battle. Everyone but Arma seemed surprised at its appearance. It was hard enough to believe that something like this existed down here.

"_**Forgive my appearance… It seems you have come just a bit too late,"**_ the large creature spoke, its voice echoing into the distance. _**"Be that as it may, I welcome you, the one entrusted to Algorn's power. I am Ignus, the King of Earth."**_


	11. Tale of the King

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 11: Tale of the King**_

* * *

"Eeek! It's a monster!"

"Recette, please calm down! This isn't a monster, it's the Elemental King we've been searching for," Tear said.

The five of them stood before the large imposing figure of the Elemental King of Earth. Despite the fact that he looked to have seen better days, he still carried an aura of elegance that demanded respect. "Wait, if we are too late…" Stella mused aloud.

"_**Most of my power has been taken from me. A young demon came not too long ago, wielding an ancient magic power far older than herself. Though I still retain some of my power, it is no longer enough to do my duty to the world."**_

"No," she said, defeated. "But then, what of the other Kings?"

"_**I have not sensed Algorn's power for some time now. Seeing the small amount you carry, I wondered what had happened to him. The same holds true for Eolia, though I can still strongly feel the power of Legeas, the King of Water."**_

"So at least one is still okay… I suppose that's better than nothing," Charme said. "But, why would they be after your power anyway? What do they expect to do with it besides destroy the balance of the world?"

The Elemental King was silent for a moment, causing them all to be anxious about what he would say. _**"There is… a precedent to this. Once, long ago, our power was taken for the selfishness of a single man."**_ Everyone looked surprised that something like this had happened before. _**"Many millennia ago, we Elementals did not hide from humans as we do today. In fact, there existed a place where we four Kings lived in harmony with the humans, as well as most other species of this world save the demons and most of the Fae.**_

"_**That place was a true paradise for us all. The world was united and all were welcome within our walls. We freely lent our strengths to the humans and they in turn revered and worshiped us and nature. But like all things, it was not meant to last. Where there are those of power, there are those who seek only more of it, unheeding of the dangers that would follow. To that end, a single man devised a means to strip an Elemental of their powers and transfer them to himself.**_

"_**He deceived us, lured us into his trap and stole most of our powers. With it, he became an unstoppable being that could have easily overthrown this world."**_

"But he obviously failed, right," Stella asked. "I've never heard of anyone like this in history books."

"_**Indeed, though he was successful in stealing our powers it did not mean he could properly control them. Our power, the power of the Kings, is meant to keep this world in balance. Meaning he alone controlled the balance of the world, with our powers resting within him. But the true strength of our might cannot be contained in a mortal body, let alone all of our strengths at once. His body perished quickly, unable to keep stable the great energies within him."**_

"Then… what happened after? You got your powers back, right," Recette asked.

"_**We did, eventually. But it did not return to us right away. For decades we had to slowly draw it back in, meaning that the balance of the world was thrown out of order and calamities occurred throughout the lands. The great paradise we lived in was destroyed by these calamities and with it came the end of our peace. The Elementals fled hiding away from humans they could no longer trust. Eventually, the world stabilized and life went on. And for a time, we Kings separated to ensure that such a disaster could never happen again.**_

"_**That was the last time we trusted humans… until we met her, anyway."**_

"Minasa-Ratis," Stella said. "Then, why did she seek you out? And what was she trying to do in creating the Elemental Stones?"

"_**That woman… she was a descendant of one from the paradise. She believed that one day it could be born again. It was refreshing to see a pure-hearted human again after so long."**_ He paused for a moment, raising a paw to gesture to the many Magic Crystals. _**"I am sure you are aware of these things. They have existed for many years now, perhaps even at the creation of the world. They contain the unbound potential of the world itself within them. But such potential is dangerous to any but the Elementals. Only we can truly understand the power they hold.**_

"_**However, this woman believed that they contained the secrets to magical arts. And so, we Kings allowed her to borrow a small amount of our powers to stabilize the crystals for use by her. It worked, and because our power is what allowed these crystals to be used by man, she called them Elemental Stones. Of course, such power had multiple worries for abuse, especially to our kind. Her understanding of their workings however allowed her to artificially create more of them. She kept the four Original Stones with her at all times, guarding the secrets of their making and use."**_

"Then what happened to this person," Tear questioned. "Why would someone like her give up their power?"

"_**Alas, even I do not know that. All that I know is that several hundred years ago, a great evil was rising up. Perhaps she had sensed that her Stones would be used for darker purposes if she continued to hold onto them. All I know is that the day the evil disappeared was the last we had ever seen or heard of her. It would seem that her dream of seeing the era of peace return faded with her."**_

The five looked at each other, digesting this new information. Selene, for whatever reason, was stealing the power of the Elemental Kings, likely under someone else's orders Stella knew. Who, or what, wanted this power either knew of a way to properly wield it, or was just as ignorant as the first who had tried. Though they were no closer to figuring out who was behind all this, they did now have a proper idea as to what was happening to the world. They also knew that the King of Water was their next target and would likely go after them.

"Ignus," Arma said looking up at him, "do you know where the other Kings are? Perhaps if we spoke to them, we could find out more of our enemies."

"_**My power is much weaker now… but I do recall that the last I sensed of Algorn's power was far to the east. Legeas was also east, though much closer than Algorn's. As for Eolia… strangely, I completely cannot sense his. Even before when I felt his strength fade and mine was intact, he disappeared. Though he vanished quite close to Pensee if I recall."**_

"Wait, what do you mean close to Pensee," Charme asked surprised.

"_**Eolia, as the King of Wind, is a free spirit and the only one of us not tied down to a single place. He would often travel on the winds to wherever he pleased. He was close by when I felt his power fade and eventually disappear. It is as if he is no longer of this world… but the one who seeks our power knows it is foolish to try to end us. I do not know what could have happened to him."**_

"I suppose that's a mystery we'll have to solve another time," Tear said. "Thank you for all you've told us."

"Yeah, it was super-helpful and stuff," Recette said. "Um, you want some chocolate or something? I kinda feel bad for not offering any."

"I don't think Elementals care for such things, Recette," Stella said.

"What do you mean, Stella? Everyone likes chocolate!"

"_**You have quite the pure heart, Recette Lemongrass." **_Recette and Tear both looked shocked that the Elemental King knew her name. _**"It is a refreshing thing to see."**_ The Elemental King looked to Stella. _**"Wielder of Algorn's fire… I know not what your role in this may be, but the fact that you possess that stone is certainly not a mere coincidence. I sensed the fragment of Eolia's power as well as another Elemental which means you must have companions who hold his Elemental Stone."**_ Stella nodded in confirmation. _**"I will trust you with this task. The world is on the brink of a second collapse. You must avert this at all costs. I will do my best to control the Earth, but I do doubt that it will be much."**_

"Um… what's gonna happen if you can't control it then," Recette asked.

"_**The land will slowly lose fertility. And earthquakes will likely become more common. But as I said, I will try to hold on for your sake as well. I cannot do too much, but at the very least, Pensee will not suffer directly because of my close proximity. The further edges of the world though will be much harder to control. I am sorry, but this is all I can do for now."**_

"No, you've done plenty for us. Thank you," Stella said. "I promise we will do something about this situation. We have quite a few allies helping us."

"In that case, we better get back and report all this," Charme said. "I don't know about you guys, but I am quite sick of this place already. I really need a vacation."

"You should be more diligent than that," Tear admonished. "Honestly, can't you show some professionalism? You are an adventurer after all."

"Hey I'm still a thief and a good one too! All I'm saying is after going through a hundred floors of craziness I could use a few drinks at the pub."

"Can we have this conversation another time," Stella said. "We need to get back to the elevator and figure out how to leave this place."

"_**I can assist you with that. It is the least I can do for your efforts."**_

"Thanks mister Ignus," Recette said.

"Before we go, do you mind answering one last question," Stella asked. "This paradise you spoke of, did it have a name?"

"_**We Elementals did not have a name for it. However, the humans and other races called it… Renoria."**_

* * *

"We're back!"

"Welcome back Recette! Everything oka- OH MY GOD what happened to your arm," a panicked Louie asked.

"Ehehehe… It's fine, it's just a scratch. I guess I'm not ready to fight real monsters just yet," Recette said trying to laugh it off.

"What!? You were fighting monsters!? IN THERE!? Recette that's really-Eep!" Louie's rant was cut short when he noticed Tear was getting in his face.

"And who," Tear slowly began, "was the one who gave the foolish notion that Recette was a fighter of any kind, hm?" Though her voice was controlled and measured, she was clearly radiating anger at the swordsman. "I can only imagine what kind of imbecile thought it was a good idea to let someone like Recette hold a sword."

"Arche… I'm scared," Chiffon said.

"Me too," Sana agreed, both hiding behind the young swordswoman.

"Come on guys, it will be ok… I think," Arche said unsure.

"Tear, it's not Louie's fault…"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW CLOSE RECETTE COULD HAVE COME TO DYING!?" Louie was knocked back by the loudness of Tear's voice. He couldn't believe such a loud voice could come from someone with such small lung capacity. "SHE SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN THE BARRIER BUT YOU HAVE GIVEN HER SOME GRAND DELUSION THAT SHE CAN FIGHT!? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!?"

"H-hey! I can explain, it's not like I said-."

"I SHOULD DOUBLE, NO TRIPLE THE PRICES YOU PAY HERE! I SHOULD BAN YOU COMPLETELY FOR PUTTING HER IN SUCH DANGER! I-!"

"TEAR, STOP IT!" Everyone was stunned at the notion, especially Louie, Charme and Arma. They never heard Recette yell at Tear, especially in such a tone. Sure they knew that Recette could be mad about things, but she was never this upset. The shock caused Tear's thoughts to be derailed as she turned to Recette with worry in her eyes.

"Recette, you-."

"It is not Louie's fault! I asked him to teach me how to fight," she said, her voice lowered but still angry. "Louie has always told me I'm still not ready to fight anything yet, but I had to try! I wasn't going to just sit back and watch again!" The two stood off for a moment before Tear rushed into Recette's chest holding onto her.

"Recette you… you foolish girl… if you… you shouldn't risk so much…"

"Tear…"

"I'm sorry," Louie said unsure of what to say in this situation.

"It's not your fault," Charme said. "Besides, I was pretty surprised she even knew how to hold a sword to begin with."

"Yeah well… I knew she wanted to learn to defend herself, but I never expected her to head into the dungeons to fight," Louie said. "It was supposed to be just for self-defense. Still, I kinda feel like this might be my fault."

"It's ok Louie," Recette said, still hugging Tear. "Besides, I still want to learn more about swordsmanship. So will you still teach me?"

Tear looked up alarmed. "Recette, you cannot seriously still consider-."

"I'm going to learn it Tear," Recette said. She smiled down at her. "But I promise… no more fighting in dungeons until I'm really, really ready."

"I'd rather you not fight at all," Tear said. What had happened to the innocent item shop owner who struggled to fill out orders, who resented Inventory Day and had naïve thoughts of people wanting to steal her 'cuteness' she wondered. Recette was indeed growing up, and while it warmed her heart to see it happen, it also terrified her to think that she would change so much as to not even recognize her anymore. "I suppose that is the best I will get from you though."

"In any case, we must alert everyone we can," Arma said. Despite the heartwarming scene before her, she was (mostly) a machine first and thus understood the importance of relaying their information to the others.

"That's right," Stella said, turning to face her friends. "You'd be quite surprised to hear what we learned."

"Ah yeah, did you really meet the Elemental King," Arche asked excited. "What was he like? Which one was it?"

"Calm down. Once everyone is here, we can discuss it. For now I'm beat. Who wants to hit the pub with me," Charme asked excited. A room full of deadpan stares was her response. "Hey they have things other than alcohol… I think."

"Merde…"


	12. Battle Plans

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 12: Battle Plans**_

* * *

Late in the evening, the 'Closed' sign swung lightly in the breeze on the Item Shop Recettear, indicating the fact that business was concluded for the day. However, if one were to look inside, they would see a myriad of people in the shop. Four people in particular were speaking to the group, though anyone outside would find it hard to hear what they were saying.

"So… it seems our worst fears are true. The Elemental Kings are losing their power," Caillou said. "This is bad."

"But are we really too late," Sana asked worried. "Seems like whoever is doing this has a head start."

"Well, as far as we know they have three of the four. Which means that we need to find the last one, the King of Water, first if we hope to fight back," Stella said.

"Where do we even start looking for him though," Elan asked. "From what you girls have said, it seems like we have to head east, but that could take us just about anywhere."

"Well, at least it's something. It might not even be on this continent, but maybe a place with a lot of water," Elise suggested.

"There is a loch in Scotsholm but I doubt we'd find anything there," Stella said. "We've explored it before, but then again we weren't looking for an Elemental at the time."

"Could it be in the Straits," Charme asked. "You girls crossed them to get here right? Maybe there's some kind of island or something."

"We didn't see anything like that," Arche said. "Did you Chiffon?"

"No… I don't remember," Chiffon said trying to think back.

"Man, so you mean to tell us that we're back to where we started," Chante said depressed. "So much for that Adventurer Card…"

"Oh you got it," Recette asked somewhat excited. Elise smiled and showed off her brand new Adventurer Card, filled out with all her information. She looked proud holding it up. "That's so cool."

"Um that aside," Chante said, "Did you find anything about my curse," the fairy asked hopeful. Caillou gave her a somewhat shrewd look of self-importance.

"Ah that. Actually, I have." Everyone looked surprised at the declaration. "It's pretty old and dark magic actually. Normally transformation spells are cosmetic in nature. Changing something from one race to the other requires something a lot more advanced. In order to even conceive a counter spell to it, I would need something that has a lot of magical power. Something like one of those Elemental Stones you three have," he said looking to the three from Scotsholm.

"I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable lending you these. We can't use magic without them," Sana said. The other two nodded in confirmation. Stella's and Sana's stones were passed down in their families and Arche's stone was connected to Chiffon in some way. Caillou nodded in acceptance. He knew he would be loath to have to give up something of that nature himself if he had one.

Chante, thankfully, wasn't disturbed. "Alright! You hear that Elise, we're one step closer to our goal!"

"That's great Chante," her sister said smiling. She was very glad they had made this trip after all, especially since it seemed there were some answers to be found here.

"Not to sound like this isn't great news and all, but we should get back to the main topic at hand," Louie said. "How are we supposed to go about finding this other Elemental King?"

"Unfortunately that remains a mystery. I suppose we should probably just ask about," Tear said. "Surely some adventurer has heard of something."

"Well what about that King that went missing? The one connected to my Elemental Stone," Arche said. "Stella, you said that Earth King told you he disappeared nearby right? Maybe he's in a dungeon somewhere."

"But he would still have sensed him though," Stella said. "And that's just it. I can only think that he might have been killed… but it would make no sense to do such a thing."

"But what other option would there be? Stuff like that can't just vanish into thin air," Caillou said.

"That's because you aren't thinking hard enough about it." Everyone turned to the front of the shop where Griff stood, leaning against the door. "The only reason the Elemental King wouldn't be sensed would be if he was no longer part of this world, but in another."

"What are you doing here? The shop is closed," Tear said.

"Forgive me if I don't care," Griff said, looking about the room. Louie, Elan and Chante were tensed and ready to fight. Caillou looked a bit indifferent at his appearance, but nonetheless had not let his eyes drift from him. The rest were simply curious about what he was doing here. "In any case, I have come to lend my assistance to you."

"You, of all people, are trying to help us," Charme said eyeing him critically. "Last I checked, you barely want anything to do with us and now you want to be buddies? What's in it for you?"

"Well, I won't lie and say there isn't anything in it for me. Rather I suppose it would be my responsibility to deal with a particular something." Everyone looked confused by this before Griff turned to Stella, Sana and Arche. "You three… do you remember what I told you about my goal, the day we met?"

"Umm… you mentioned wanting the demons to rise up, right," Sana said.

"Correct. And if you recall, I also told you that very few demons agree with my beliefs. Selene is one of them."

"Wait, are you trying to tell me that the Dark Witch is doing this for the benefit of demons," Stella exclaimed, shocking everyone.

"I am not sure anymore, to be honest," Griff said with a sigh. "The last time we had met, she was rather passionate about our mutual goal. That day was the day I left the realm of the demons and journeyed to Pensee in search of what I believed would have been what was needed for us." The Pensee natives remembered that particular part of the story, when Griff attempted to unleash the power of an Arch Devil upon the world. "Needless to say, I failed and learned something about what I needed to do."

"But, what does this have to do with this Dark Witch now," Elan asked, not sure where Griff was going with this.

"While I do believe that Selene believes that what she is doing is for the benefit of demons, it's actually not. Worse yet is the fact that she obeys another. Demons do not bow before anyone but stronger demons. And as far as I am aware, I am the strongest of the demons who wishes for our return to glory. I know only one other besides Selene and myself who believes in our goal, but he does nothing and is content to let this play out for itself without his interference. Whoever Selene is working for will answer to me."

For a few moments, everyone was silent as they processed what the Half-Demon had said. Recette then spoke up, "So does that mean you like her then?" At once, nearly everyone face-faulted.

"Recette, seriously," Charme said sighing.

"Once again, the level of thoughtlessness you put into speaking does not cease to amaze me," Griff said, completely non-pulsed having expected a reaction like this. He turned to face Tear. "Honestly Fairy, do you teach her nothing?"

"I try, but I suppose some lessons don't stick as well as others," Tear said.

"Um well… at least it's nice to know that Mr. Griff is on our side," Arche said trying to lighten the mood.

"Quite," Stella said. At the very least, knowing that Griff would not be an enemy due to his relation with the Dark Witch was a comforting thought.

"Griff," Arma spoke up, "You said something about the Elemental disappearing. What do you know?" Everyone's attention was once again on the demon.

"What I know is that in order to drain something like an Elemental of Wind, they would need to capture it and place it somewhere it couldn't get away. That means there is a high chance that the Elemental King of Wind, Eolia, is trapped in the Dark World, the realm of demons, somewhere."

"Just how big would someplace like that be," Elise asked.

"We've been there before," Arche said, looking determined, "and we made it out okay. But how would we get there?"

"Well, Griff is a Demon. Maybe he can make us a portal there or something," Louie suggested.

"Though I do possess magical talents, I don't have enough to simply create a gateway there whenever I wish. Selene had a talent for that," Griff said. "However, I do know someplace where a pre-existing gate can be activated. It's in a rather… familiar place, at least to Recette and me." Recette looked at him confused before her eyes widened.

"Oh man… that place huh," she said not particularly caring for it.

"Merde… that tower again," Tear said. "Recette we are not going."

"I know."

"Seriously Recette, we have responsibilities here an-, wait. You are agreeing with me," Tear said disbelievingly.

"Well, I mean, I'm really grateful for all my new friends to help watch the shop while I was gone. But Recettear wouldn't be the same without Recette and Tear, right," she said good-naturedly. "Besides, I really should thank you for everything. It was selfish of me to go last time, but I know this time isn't the right time."

Everyone looked to Recette in some awe before Charme gave a good-natured laugh. "Well, Recette's all grown up now, isn't she," the thief said pulling her into a playful headlock and rubbing her head.

"Well I suppose the counter-jockey has to learn at some point," Caillou said with a grin.

"Aww, come on guys, don't tease me!"

"Ahem." Everyone paused to see Griff looking at everyone in annoyance. "For now, shouldn't we decide who will go? Obviously, I must lead the way."

"In that case, count us in too," Chante said, to which Elise nodded in response. "No way we are going to let you guys have all the fun beating the bad guys!"

"Wait, Chante," Elise said drawing her sister's attention on her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Hm? I don't think so." Elise gave her a disapproving look before Chante hung her head in defeat. "Fine, fine… uh, Griff right? I guess I wanted to say I'm kinda sorry about what happened when we met. I mean it was really rude and stuff-."

"Forget it," the demon interrupted. "I don't particularly care and it's obvious you don't fully regret it either. So I'd rather not deal with this."

"Ugh, see, I told you this would happen, sis…"

"It's the thought that counts Chante," Elise said, though she patted her sister's head all the same.

"Hey, I'm coming too," Arche said determinedly. "If there is one person I'm definitely gonna help it's gonna be the Elemental King of Wind! Besides, he might know more about Chiffon. And I gotta thank him for my Elemental Stone too!"

"Foo, you rweally think so Arche?"

"Why not? It makes some sense seeing as he must have had a hand in creating that stone," Stella said. "I'd go with you, but after what happened down there…"

"It's okay Stella, you rest up. Me and Sana got this one in the bag," Arche said, pumped up.

"I'll do my best," Sana said with a smile, trying to pump herself up as well. "Though will we really be okay? I mean, we aren't proper adventurers yet Arche."

"Oh yeah," Arche said, somewhat deflated. "Hey, are you sure we can't just go in," she asked.

"Well, technically, you can," Tear began, "considering that any adventurer can go into any dungeon. But the fact that dungeons around Pensee fall under its jurisdiction means that those registered with the Guild are subject to certain benefits and insurances. Moreover, entering without registration is subject to a 'you're-on-your-own' policy." Seeing the confused look on Arche's face, Tear sighed before Louie stepped in.

"What Tear is trying to say is that if something goes wrong in the dungeon, the Guild will help you if you're registered under them. Think of it like being in a club, with member's only bonuses."

"Oh! Ok, I think I get it now. So I guess it would be really dangerous to just try and go in."

"Um, does that mean we should be the clients then," Sana asked.

"Sure thing," Charme said. "And just because you are clients doesn't mean you can't fight. Stella was fighting with us in the upper levels of the Lapis Ruins after all."

"Eh!? Really Stella," Arche asked excitedly. "Aw man, you must have gotten super strong while you were down there!"

"Well, I wouldn't say that strong, but I definitely have gotten quite a bit more experience, yes," she said with a self-satisfied smile.

"Very well then," Griff said, "we have our two adventurers and two clients. We shouldn't need any more, as too big a group would be more trouble than its worth."

"Right. I'll pay for the expenses of hiring the adventurers then," Recette said. "Consider it my repayment for helping me with the shop."

Suddenly the door to the shop slammed open, a panicked woman in a pink kimono crossing the threshold, carrying a smaller figure in her arms. "Recette, thank goodness you're here," she said.

"Nagi? What's wron-?" But Recette's words died in her throat as she beheld the person in the lancer's arms. There, looking deathly pale and breathing heavily and painfully, was the Elven Archer Tielle.


	13. Teamwork

_A/N: Quick thanks to sir samurai for the fav. Hopefully I will continue to make these chapters live up to the expectations. Now on with the story! Also I noticed the lack of proper breaks in the 9th chapter and have fixed them, hopefully. My bad.  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 13: Teamwork**_

* * *

On the first floor of the Item Shop Recettear, worry was etched into each person's face as they thought of the fate of a dear friend. The Elf girl Tielle was currently resting in Recette's guest room with Sana, Caillou, Recette and Tear watching over her. Griff had already taken his leave to prepare for the upcoming journey into the Dark World. Some would think he was being heartless in his decision to leave them be, but the few who knew him also knew that there was really nothing he could say or do that either Caillou or Sana couldn't.

"So why come here, Nagi," Louie asked as they waited for the group to come back down. "I would have thought you'd have taken her to the clinic."

"I was on my way there. But I passed by the shop and saw you all, and I couldn't risk that she got worse before I got there. I also don't know where she is residing currently." At that everyone from Pensee couldn't help expressing their disbelief. Recettear wasn't anywhere close to Pensee's local clinic. Even in this type of situation her sense of direction was as terrible as ever.

"But how did she get like that anyway? What in the world could have happened to her," Charme wondered aloud.

"I'm not sure. I found her coming back to town terribly hurt. At first I thought something had gone wrong with a client, but she said that someone in a mask attacked her while she was training," Nagi said.

"What!? Who would dare have the audacity to attack a helpless girl like that," Stella exclaimed.

"I don't know, but whoever it is surely knew what they were doing." Everyone turned to see Caillou and Recette, sans Tear, enter the room again. "She's been poisoned, and it's an unusual one as well. None of the Anti-Venom I had worked on her. Thankfully, Sana is able to heal her, but it's not enough to remove the poison entirely."

"Then what do we do," Arche asked worried. "There's gotta be something we can do to help her!"

"Well, about that, I do have an idea," Recette said. Everyone looked to her expectantly. "The last time Tielle got hurt, I found some medicine in the Amber Garden. Maybe there might be something there again."

"Recette," Charme began, unsure of how to phrase what she had to say. "Just because-."

"Understood. Then we must send people to retrieve it," Arma said interrupting.

"H-hey!"

"We mustn't waste too much time on this. We should choose who is to go and explore the dungeon come first thing in the morning."

"In that case, just leave it to me," Louie said. "Whenever there is a damsel in distress, the hero always comes in to save the day!"

"I will accompany you then, Louie," Nagi said bowing.

"Hold on, hold on," Chante said realizing something. "If Sana is supposed to stay here to watch out for the elf, then who is supposed to go with Elise, Arche, me and the demon?"

"I'd go myself but I should also stay to watch over her," Caillou said. "It would be an interesting thing to see the Dark World for myself."

"Well, maybe I can-."

"No Recette," Charme said sternly. "Even if it's not hurting anymore, you were still injured. You need to lay off it for a while, so nothing too stressful."

"In that case, I'll step up," Elan said cracking his knuckles. "Time to show you guys what I'm really made of!"

"In that case, we should all go and get some sleep then. Arche, you know where the inn is right?"

"Foo… nope," Chiffon said.

"What do you mean 'no'? Where have you been staying while I was gone?"

"Um… well, we kinda just been sleeping here," Arche said somewhat embarrassed to admit.

"I know where it's at," Elise said stepping up. "Allow us to take you there." Chante gave a nod and rested on Elise's shoulder. "We will see you all in the morning."

Giving their farewells, Arche, Chiffon and Stella followed Elise out of the shop and towards the inn. Pensee was fairly quiet at night, save for the mishaps that occurred at the local watering hole. Stella muffled a yawn, realizing just how tired she actually was. Arche though, was filled with the need to ask many, many questions. "Um, so you guys traveled to a lot of places right? That means you've been on tons of adventures, right?"

"You bet," Chante said, happy for a chance to show off. "We took down great big monsters and crossed treacherous climates to make it where we are!"

"Honestly Chante," Elise said, knowing how her sister liked to get. "While it's true we have journeyed for some time now, it was mostly all to figure out how to remove Chante's curse. We haven't been travelers for that long."

"Ah. I get it. But I bet its still lots of fun to travel all over the place. Meeting new people, seeing new things," she said somewhat envious. She did enjoy the adventures she got to go on back home, but something about the lives that Elise and Chante had lived seemed so much grander than she could imagine.

"Well, yes. I suppose it does have its perks now and again," Elise said, thinking of the friendship with Aria and Elma. She eyed the younger girl's sword with some curiosity. "By the way, who taught you how to use the sword? You don't look like an amateur in sword fighting."

"Oh, my dad did! He used to be a royal guard. He would fight monsters and stuff and he'd tell me all about his stories!"

"Sounds neat," Chante said. "Of course, my younger sister here didn't need any fancy lessons or anything. She's quite the natural!"

"Eh? That's so cool!"

"Ah, it's really nothing," she said. She certainly didn't want to have to explain how she learned out of the necessity of protecting themselves while they traveled. Though it was true she picked up on her own style of fighting quite quickly, it had been a harsh learning curve in wielding a sword. She was mostly thankful for the fact that Chante had been practicing how to channel magic after they learned her curse had allowed her to access the power within the Magic Crystals.

"Hey, hey so what does your Elemental Stone do anyway," Chante asked curious. "Stella said she can use fire and that Sana girl can heal people right? So can you make wind and stuff?"

"Er, kinda," Arche said unsure how to explain her stone's power.

"It's called Unison," Stella intervened. She was content with listening to them talk, but she certainly would not allow for Arche to embarrass them concerning their gifts. "It basically allows her to merge with Chiffon for a short time, so she channels Chiffon's power."

"So… you guys merge," Chante said confused trying to picture what it would look like. She couldn't help but picture the young girl with large rabbit-like ears and a long tail.

"Well, kinda. But it's basically just letting me use some wind powers for a little while. Oh and I can fly!"

"Fly? Really," Elise said surprised.

"In a sense," Stella said.

"Wow, that's sounds pretty cool! I wish I could do that," Chante said. "You know, just without the whole 'cursed-to-be-a-fairy' thing." At that, they finally reached the inn which was thankfully still open despite the late hour. "And we are here!"

"Thanks for taking us here," Arche said.

"Thank yoo," Chiffon said smiling.

"Right. Guess we'll get to see what your made of tomorrow. Night!"

"Goodnight! Ok Chiffon, let's get some rest! Big day tomorrow!"

* * *

_**Obsidian Tower – Team Griff**_

"Whoa! It's so big!" Arche stared wide-eyed at the imposing tower which reached up into the heavens. The only tower she could compare it to was the Weathervane Tower back home, and she had a feeling this one was much bigger. "How high does it go?"

"Fifty floors. Of course, the monsters inside aren't as strong as the ones in the Lapis Ruins, but they should be a good enough challenge for you two," Elan explained.

"Hah! This will be a piece of cake," Chante said.

"Famous last words, Fairy," Griff said. "Given the size of our group and combined combat experience, I surmise it shouldn't take more than a few days to reach the top. Once there, I can open up a gateway to the Dark World. You still have that charm, right," he asked Elan.

"Yeah, this thing right," the monk said holding up a pendant in the shape of a pair of bat wings, a ruby-like gem embedded in the center.

"Right. That should protect you from any of the effects of the Dark World. The Elemental Stone and the Fairy will protect their respective retainers." Griff turned to the girls. "Whatever happens, you are responsible for your own actions. Be ready for anything."

"Is the Dark World really such a terrifying place," Elise asked.

"Well, the last time I was there, all my classmates got turned into stone," Arche said, thinking about what happened when she and her friends chased Selene into the Labyrinth of Night.

"It was a scawry place," Chiffon said.

"Natives of the Dark World like me and other beings of high magical power naturally can ward off any harmful effects of the Dark World," Griff said as he motioned for them to enter the tower. "The effects can also be negated simply by being in close proximity to items of high magical power."

"Hence the pendant," Elan said, tucking it back under his shirt. "Sounds like a pretty harsh place if you ask me."

"Yeah, well, I guess that's probably why it's a perfect place for demons," Chante said.

"Chante…"

"Don't flatter yourself," Griff said, "If you weren't cursed you and your sibling would be nothing but dead weight on this journey. The Dark World is no place for weaklings."

"Why you little-!"

"Guys, trouble up ahead," Elan said, noticing three Knight monsters in green armor up ahead. They turned to the group before raising their weapons and charging. "Alright girls, time to see what you're made of."

"Wait, you're not going to help us!?"

"Please. If you needed help at this early stage, then you should leave now. There is no way you will survive the Dark World," Griff explained.

"Right then, here we go!" Arche charged ahead, sword ready. The lead knight raised its blade to strike, but Arche rolled between his legs, turning quickly to strike at the monster's backside. The monster was nearly knocked off balance, as Arche swung at the next one in range. This knight however, raised its shield, blocking the strike from doing any damage. The third knight came in with a charge, causing Arche to fall back to avoid being struck.

The first knight turned, ready to seek its vengeance, but Elise was ready and waiting for this. Though she had seen this monster before, she had yet to encounter them in the dungeons and thus was unsure of their tactics. Thankfully, they had remained relatively the same. Approaching from the first monster's backside, she unleashed an empowered sword combo on creature, unwilling to let it fight back. With a yell, she decapitated the creature causing it to instantly disperse into Magic Crystals.

Arche was busy defending against the relentless attacks of the two monsters before her, gritting her teeth in frustration. The monsters outside of the dungeons didn't strike with nearly this amount of ferocity. She wouldn't be deterred though, nor could she rely on Chiffon for the moment. She couldn't allow herself to be seen as a burden this journey, her pride as a swordswoman wouldn't allow that. Seeing that a frontal assault would be pointless, she used the spacious area to her advantage to strife to the side and attack from there. Relentless these monsters may be, but they didn't rely on things like strategy.

Of course, her movements were also meant to allow for Elise to get clear shots at the monsters from behind. "Wind!" Elise swung her blade, empowered with Chante's help, unleashing a sharp wind strike which finished off another monster. Arche gave a great leap before ramming her blade into the final knight's head. With all the monsters finished off, Arche absorbed several of the Magic Crystals, feeling their powers strengthen her.

"Whoa… those things tingle," she said looking over herself. "Hey, hey Chiffon, do I look stronger now?"

"Foo… I think so? Yoo kinda look the same Arche…"

"It will take a lot more than that to get stronger with Magic Crystals alone," Elan said. "Not too shabby you two."

"Oh yeah, piece of cake," Chante cheered. "What do you say to that, Griff?"

"I say you reign in that cocky attitude before your wings can't support your ego," the demon replied smoothly. "Don't get too excited though. We've only just begun." He pointed to a nearby hallway. "We need to climb this tower quickly. We don't have time to waste."

"Right! Let's move!"

* * *

_**Amber Garden – Team Louie**_

_Here it comes,_ Louie thought as he and Nagi split up. A deadly beam of energy tore through the space where the two once stood. The beam began to turn towards Louie, who was still running while Nagi quickly ran to the source: the Eyebat King. Several more Eyebats were within the arena, unleashing their sonic waves at the approaching Nagi, who bypassed them in favor of attacking their leader. She slashed at the monster's side, as it lost focus and the energy beam it was emitting from its eye disappeared. It let out a painful screech (Louie was unsure HOW this was possible, seeing as it didn't have any kind of visible mouth) and quickly flew back to gain some distance from its attacker. Nagi quickly used the long reach of her spear to strike down several of the minor enemies within her range as Louie used his shield to block the incoming projectiles and give the finishing blows to several more with his Spin Slash. It would be a temporary measure as the creature would summon more of its minions, but it gave the two some minor breathing room as the boss monster prepared to charge its beam once more.

Louie wouldn't give it the chance though. "Vacuum Cut!" Louie slashed down, slicing the air before him as a wave of energy shot out from his sword, striking the creature in its eye. The Eyebat King screeched out again, before Nagi charged forwards impaling it on her spear. The beast burst into a shower of Magic Crystals that the two absorbed, while the remaining minions disappeared completely. The magic circle that would take them to the next floor appeared as they headed towards it, though Louie first picked up the large bat-like wing that the monster left behind. He was sure that he could use it for something if only to sell later. He figured it was appropriate considering he was the 'client' on this journey, though he didn't bother using the barrier. It was completely unnecessary for him.

It was only an hour in, and yet they were already on the fifth floor. Given what they knew about the dungeon, it wouldn't likely take more than a day to search to the bottom, where the medicine could be found, if there was any at all. Of course, they would need to still search the remaining floors, but it seemed unlikely that such an important thing would be found anywhere else. An adventurer's intuition as it were.

"I have been down here before. I have never encountered medicine for Elves though," Nagi said.

"Well, we sort of found some here," Louie said, remembering the time he had come here with Recette. "Tielle was a little… excitable when we ran into her here," he recalled thinking of the fight with her and the misunderstanding that had been. Thankfully she had forgiven him after taking her to a bakery for sweets.

"Arma said the dungeons are alive in some ways. Perhaps they will heed to our request for a friend?"

"I hope so; otherwise we are doing this for nothing. Tielle is depending on us, so we can't let her down," Louie said determined.

"Right. For our friend!"

No sooner than the two left the room than another figure entered. The person's face was covered by a tribal mask as he watched the magic circle disappear and another Eyebat King materialize into existence. "Well, well… looks like things are getting more and more interesting by the moment. I do hope those two will entertain me. Orders may be orders but that doesn't mean I can't have fun!"


	14. Behind the Masks

_A/N: Just wanted to say thanks to all my readers for sticking with me all this time. Love you guys. That said, bonus points to whoever can get the reference to our villain's name at the end, in true Recettear fashion. _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 14: Behind the Masks**_

* * *

**Amber Garden, 25****th**** Floor – Team Louie**

Louie and Nagi were resting on the twenty-fifth floor, having just defeated the two Crowned Slimes that guarded the safe zone. As much as they wanted to keep going, Nagi managed to convince Louie that they had been through the dungeon for far too long without proper rest. Besides which, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be some monster at the bottom floor waiting for them. They were camped out, Louie enjoying some sandwiches while Nagi was enjoying a curry dish of some sort. They would be safe from Will-o-Wisps here, so they knew it would be a perfect time to get some deserved sleep and find the cure in the morning, refreshed.

"Hey Nagi," Louie asked between bites of his sandwich, "Those clothes you wear, does everyone wear them where you come from?"

"Hm? Yes, it's a very popular design women wear," she said.

"So where were you born? I know you live near Pensee now but what about before then?"

"I lived in a small village very far to the east, beyond the country called Abyssinia. We weren't aligned with any kingdom or anything like that. In fact, most people don't know much about where it is. We rarely get visitors you see. I wouldn't be surprised that most of the world has forgotten about us."

"Eh, sounds kinda lonely."

"Oh no, it's quite a nice place really. Everyone is very friendly, you see. We all do our part, be it growing food or defending against monsters. Everyone pitches in to help and we make it work."

"So I'm guessing that's how you got your spear then?"

"Yes. Though I do know many housekeeping skills, as is to be expected of me, I had very few other talents. Thankfully, the elders in the village saw my skills with weapons and I was posted as one of the village guards. From there I refined my skills before I made my journey and ended up in Pensee."

Louie had the strangest, but probably true, feeling that Pensee was not in fact where Nagi had intended to end up in, but had made the best of that situation. "So what made you go on a journey?"

"Well, I wanted to hone my craft, as well as find a husband," she said, to Louie's surprise. "Most people in the village end up leaving for the same reasons, though to be honest, not many make it. Of course, there are those who remain the in village their entire lives. They usually become the elders and take charge of the village when needed." Louie nodded. Despite that he knew many adventurers, through Recette and otherwise, the only one he had any kind of personal connection with was Elan. It was a bit refreshing in getting to know someone like Nagi. He wondered if he could get to know the others well enough too. "So what about your home Louie?"

"Well, there isn't too much to say on that. I came from a small kingdom up north near the mountains. It's always pretty cold up there, so we get snow most year round. Considering all the times I've been snowed out of my own home though," he said somewhat embarrassingly.

"I suppose that's why you wear those scarves even during the summer," Nagi said.

"I didn't think you'd notice. I mean, we don't really hang out or anything."

"I suppose it's just an old habit. Though doesn't it get hot?"

"I don't really notice the heat actually," he said with laugh. "I guess it's because I live in a colder environment that I really appreciate the value of warm clothes. I usually knit my own scarves." Nagi raised an eyebrow at this piece of information. "Hahaha! Bet you never would have guessed that huh?"

"I admit you don't seem to be the type to knit…"

"Well, I never had a lot of money growing up. We always had enough to get by, but things like new clothes were out of the question. So I learned how to make my own. I was never too good at shirts or pants, but I could always make great scarves." At that point he had recalled when he had given Recette his special Adventurer Card, sometime after helping her save Arma. Attached to it was an eternal symbol of friendship, a piece of his hand-knit scarf he was wearing the day they met.

"So, what made you want to become an adventurer then?"

"Ah, well, it's kinda embarrassing really. You see, when I was a kid, I always read stories about heroes who would face trials and rescue princesses. I always wanted to be a hero like that, so I ended up training with swords and shields. When I thought I was good enough, I headed here because I heard of all the dungeons and such challenges. I thought it would make a great jump start to my carrier."

"I see. And I suppose that Recette would be your princess to rescue?" Louie's face turned red as Nagi giggled at his expense. "Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass-."

"I think so." Nagi was quickly silenced by Louie's confession. "I mean, she's been there every step of the way through my adventures. Ever since I first got my card, we've practically been inseparable. I've always shopped at her store, and I know she hires me the most of all of us. She knows about my situations with money, and I… I do feel this need to protect her, you know?" He recalled the time when he was forced to fight Griff at the top of the tower that he was currently heading to. Griff had threatened the destruction of Pensee, but it was not for that town that he fought, not entirely. He had fought to protect her from the danger of what could happen.

"I see… do you plan on telling her?"

"I… don't know. We already have this great dynamic between us. Something like this would change a lot of things between us. And I'm not sure either of us is ready for that."

Nagi said nothing to this, but finished her food, placing the container it was in back into their pack. Given what she had seen of the two of them, that day she witnessed Louie and her training together, she could tell that the boy had special feelings for Recette, and that she too had felt something for the Adventurer as well. What it was she could guess, but she knew that she couldn't say anything to him about it. Recette's feelings were her own, and she had already mistakenly believed that they had already acted out them. The girl would have to take her own chances. "Well, I won't say whether or not it is a good thing, but you should still tell her. If only simply because you are her friend and something like this shouldn't get in the way of friendships." Reaching into the pack, she pulled out her sleeping bag. "I will retire for the night. Goodnight Louie."

"Night, Nagi." Louie stood up and stretched, feeling the need to relax as well. He felt he could still stay up a few hours, but so long as they were in the safe zone, there was nothing to watch out for. A peaceful night's sleep would be good for him, he knew, so he decided to follow the spear woman's example and get some rest as well. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

* * *

"Have a good night," Recette said cheerfully to the last customer for the night before closing up shop. The man thanked her, taking his purchase with him, a Very Odd Vase, before letting the ringing of the bell signal his exit. Recette let out a sigh. Between helping Sana and Caillou care for Tielle and running the shop with Tear, the day had been exhausting. There was still no word from Louie or Nagi, which meant they were likely still in the dungeon. She knew that Griff and his group would take some time to explore through the place as well as seek out the mysterious Dark World.

Recette recalled the first time she had gone through the Amber Garden. It had taken four days to make it to the end, a risky thing considering her payments she was still making at the time, but well worth the effort. She managed to find tons of treasures and ingredients to craft into some high-end merchandise for the store, as well as make a new friend in Tielle. Knowing how strong the two adventurers were, they would likely be back in the morning. She could only hope so.

"Hello, Pensee to Recette? You there?"

"Huh? WHA!?" Recette was startled to see Charme looking at her with a smile. "Charme, when did you get here?"

"I've been here calling your name the last two minutes. Geez girl, you have got to be more aware of your surroundings, new sword skills or otherwise."

"Oh sorry, I've had a lot on my mind…"

"Recette what happened!? I heard a sh- oh. It's just you," Tear said flying from upstairs where she was observing Tielle's progress. "Recette shouldn't you be closing the store soon? Unless you are here to purchase something," the fairy asked the thief.

"Just visiting for now. How's the girl?"

"The same as before. The poison is rather resistant to anything we treat it with. Thankfully her condition hasn't worsened, but it hasn't improved either. It's a good thing that we have both Sana and Caillou to watch her. Just one of them would be overwhelmed."

"Poor Tielle… maybe we should get her a big chocolate cake from the bakery to cheer her up when she wakes up! She'd like that right?"

"Knowing her sweet tooth, I bet she would," Charme said.

"Very well… Recette please close up the shop and you," she said pointing to the thief, "make sure you leave with only what you brought in."

"Man, all this time and she still doesn't trust me? Maybe you should get someone else to run this place with you Recette," Charme said.

"Aw, Tear likes you! If she was really upset with you, she wouldn't let you shop here at all."

"I suppose that's true," Charme said with a sigh. She looked at Recette, who was busy covering the shelves to try and prevent the dust from collecting. "Hey, don't worry about them. They'll be back soon and that little elf girl will be smooth as wine."

"I'm not worried. Louie's a lot stronger now than the first time we went there."

Charme gave a grin, seeing an opening. "Oh? Funny how you would only mention him and not Nagi too…"

Recette blushed realizing her error. "Eh, you know what I meant Charme."

"Oh really?" Charme grabbed the girl in a hug, wrapping an arm around her neck. "Come on; tell Big Sister Charme what's bugging you huh? Sounds like you care just a bit more about the sword boy than just as friends."

"Charme! Louie and I aren't like that!"

"Oh, but I bet you would like to be like that, huh," she teased, getting a kick out of her reactions. Recette's face was completely red, as she started to mutter some things under her breath. "Oh, didn't quite catch that."

"Charme," she started but hesitated for a moment. Tear was one thing, but Charme was quite another. She did like to think of herself as someone who looked out for Recette, and while the younger girl did acknowledge this, she also knew that she tended to speak about things that she really had little understanding of. It was only recently that Tear had managed to have 'the Talk' with Recette, an equally embarrassing thing for both of them.

But Charme did mean well, and she was the only older sibling figure she had in her life. "Hey Charme, have you ever been in love?"

"Eh? Love? No, not really," she replied casually. Recette almost face-faulted at how easily she answered the question. "You really think you might love Louie? Don't get me wrong he's pretty good at what he does and makes an okay drinking buddy. But you seem a little… well, young to the thinking of such things huh?"

"I'm sixteen…"

"EH!? Really, you don't look it. I seriously could have pegged you for a thirteen at most," Charme said. Indeed, Recette's looks and attitudes would certainly make her seem like a child. Tear had also thought the same way, until she revealed her age to her at the time. Of course, that still didn't stop the fairy from treating her like one especially since she tended to act like it. Apparently however a massive debt and adventures helped one mature, though it was still slow-going for the young female.

"My question Charme?"

"Huh? Oh yeah right. Well, if you love him, then just tell him so. I'm sure he'd be thrilled about it, having someone care about him like that. I know I would," she said with a smile. "Seriously, don't take this too stiffly. Besides, what did Tear say about it?"

"I… well, I haven't really told her," she said, recalling the one time she tried to talk to her about this. "But… I mean, I've never really felt like this before. He's always just been my friend, you know?"

"Sounds like love to me," Charme said with a shrug. "Try not to think too hard about it. I mean, you guys are friends right? What's the worst that could happen?" Charme stretched. "Well, I think I'm gonna head to the bar for a nightcap. You wanna tag along?"

"Eh, I think I should stay here and close up shop…"

"Haha, relax, yeah? I'd never hear the end of it from that fairy if I did something like that. Night Recette."

"Night Charme," she said, watching her exit the store. Recette turned off the lights and locked the front of her shop before heading to her room. She would have faith in her friends. And maybe, just maybe, she could confront the confusing feelings within her when Louie got back.

* * *

"Who the heck are you?"

Louie and Nagi were on the bottom floor of the dungeon, surprised to see a person there in the second chamber. The man wore a tribal mask that covered his face, though there was an opening by his mouth. In one hand held a blowpipe and the other a dagger. "Ah… so it seems like you are the ones who are friends with the Priest and the girl with the fairy, huh? Interesting…"

"And how is it that you know them," Nagi asked, gripping her weapon just in case. She was getting a bad vibe from this person, whoever he was.

"Ah, I've been keeping track of things. Information gathering is but one of my many specialties," he said self-confidently. "But as to the purpose of my visit… I would calmly ask you to please do me a favor and die."

"What!? Is that a threat," Louie said raising his weapon.

"No, that was a request, can't you tell," the man said acting like Louie was a spoiled child. "This is a threat. You will cease your attempts at disrupting our plans unless you want to end up like the Elf girl," he said suddenly serious.

"What did you do to Tielle?"

"You like? It's my own special brand of poison, never before seen! And there is no antidote for it either. It's only a matter of time before her body will give up fighting it and succumb. Poor thing, but this is the punishment for defying us."

"Who sent you," Nagi questioned, raising her arm to stop Louie from charging him. "The one they called the Dark Witch, we were told, was working for someone. I doubt it's you though."

"Ah Selene… bah, that girl. Honestly, what does anyone see in her anyway? Hm, but should I tell you? I suppose I could, but then I'd just get scolded by that guy and I really don't want to have to deal with his speeches. Sorry, no can do. But hey, maybe if you can entertain me a bit, I can give you a nice hint? That sounds fair, right?"

"Do you really think we are going to play this game of yours," Louie said, ready to fight all the same.

"I don't think you really have a say in the matter," the masked man said. "Now then, common courtesy says you should introduce yourself before demanding another's name."

"I am Nagi."

"…Louie."

"Nagi and Louie huh? I'll remember that. You may call me Sauv," he said raising his dagger. "Now then, let the fun begin!"


	15. Wild Battle in the Amber Garden

_A/N: A big welcome to malandy for deciding to follow this story. Here's hoping you get more for your enjoyment. Also apologies in advance if the battle feels a bit... lacking. Enjoy the new power-ups though! Also for those that may or may not know, our villain's name, Sauv, is short for 'Sauvage' which in French means 'Wild' or 'Savage'. Appropriate yes? _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 15: Wild Battle in the Amber Garden**_

* * *

Sauv raised the blowpipe to the opening in his mask, quickly blowing out three darts from it, their tips laced with poison. Nagi pulled back as Louie covered her, his shield blocking the attacks from going through. Faster than he would have thought possible, Sauv was instantly on Louie, swinging his dagger wildly. Louie parried, and was surprised by just how much force was behind the blow. It had felt like someone was swinging a sword just as heavy and big as the one he was used to carrying.

Nagi went in, unleashing several spear thrusts in quick succession. Her opponent was too quick though, dodging and weaving through the small openings in her attack, before swiftly unleashing a kick to her face, knocking her back. Not given any time to recover, he unleashed several more poison darts, to which Louie had managed to pull her out of the way to safety. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime," Louie said readying in his stance. Sauv looked completely relaxed, as if he wasn't in a fight at all, but Louie knew better. He had fought plenty of opponents to know that each one had their own tells, some obvious, others subtle, in their preparedness for battle. "He's really quick though. I doubt long range moves will work on him, but even getting into close range could be a problem."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Well… I've been practicing this move with Elan. I think it could work with you too. You want to try?" Nagi nodded, as Louie explained the details of the move without trying to give away their plan. Sauv merely looked on, unconcerned for whatever they planned to do. Once Louie and Nagi were ready, they both charged with Nagi in front and Louie bringing the rear. Sauv readied himself, but before he could do much, Louie quickly jumped and planting both feet on Nagi's back, pushing off and propelling her forwards with his momentum. Sauv looked slightly surprised at the move and was barely able to dodge being struck by the spear.

He couldn't avoid the kick Nagi sent to his torso though. He pulled back quickly, grasping the spot where she had struck. Nagi merely groaned out in response, trying to rub at the spot where Louie had pushed with his feet. "Louie, I don't think we should do that again…" Louie nodded in response. The move was made for someone of Elan's build and pain tolerance level after all, somewhat successful as it was.

"Hey, that was pretty good. But I'm afraid you'll need more than that to stop me." He charged in again, with Nagi using her spear to try and deflect the oncoming attacks. His movements were quick and she noticed that a few of the tattoos on his chest were starting to glow as his movements sped up. "Come on, come on! Keep up!" He broke through her guard slashing at her face, to which she was unable to avoid completely, getting cut on the cheek. He unleashed another strike, cutting at her chest and narrowly missing. It was enough to cut at her clothes and chest bindings though, causing her to press her arm against her breast as the bounced free. "Hehehe! That's a good look for you!"

"Hyah!" Sauv raised his dagger to block Louie's attack, anger flaring in his eyes. "Don't you have some respect for your opponent?"

"Hah! In battle, all is fair game if it means victory!"

"Don't think you can win with those kinds of moves!" Louie unleashed his spin slash, knocking Sauv back, as he jumped away and blew more poison darts at him. Louie charged in, blocking with his shield and attempted to strike down the wild man. His tattoos began to glow again before going on the attack, Louie finding it hard to block the man's empowered strikes.

_Damn, he's way too strong! But… I can't lose! I can't let them down!_ Louie's body began to glow a red aura as he pushed back against Sauv's attack, newfound strength flowing through his limbs. "Wave Cut!" He swung his sword out a red energy wave slicing through the air towards its victim. Sauv dodged quickly by ducking, the attack launching much faster than he had anticipated.

"That's quite some power you got there! I'm-," he stopped when he saw Louie's shield moments before it bashed him in the face. He was thankful his mask was in place, but the blow still hurt as he was sent reeling back by the force. "Son of a…" He wasn't given time to finish that thought as he was struck in the chest by the blunt side of Louie's sword, knocking him back onto the ground. He quickly tucked his body to roll on the ground before jumping back to his feet. "Haha! So exciting!"

"Damn it, do you ever run out of energy," Louie said, as the aura around him disappeared and the power boost faded. He suddenly felt tired, a far cry from the feeling of invincibility he had been experiencing moments before. Nagi appeared, to his side, part of her outfit ripped up and used to help bind her chest once more.

"Louie, allow me to handle this. I too have been working on a new technique I wish to test." She focused her body gathering energy within herself as she stared down her opponent. Not wanting to wait this time, Sauv rushed in with the intent to strike her down. He was forced back as a deep cut appeared on his mask, Nagi having swung her spear in an arc. And she kept swinging, spinning her body about and letting the momentum of each strike carry her into the next as she became a whirlwind of pain.

"Sakura Dance!" She stepped forwards, moving towards Sauv as she kept her spinning, the sound of her lance slicing through the air at high speeds ringing out. Sauv tried to look for a weakness in the strikes, and though each individual swing seemed to leave an opening, the next swing closed them too quickly to make an attack effective. Nagi's range worked well for her here. Frustrated, Sauv tried launching more poison darts, but they were knocked away by the attack.

Nagi suddenly stopped her spinning and charged ahead, forcing Sauv to roll out of the way. Unfortunately for him, Louie was ready for the attack, as he brought his dagger up to block. He pulled back to the far end of the arena, slamming his hand down on the ground. "Piercing Thorns!" Plant-like spires filled with thorns erupted from the ground, crisscrossing in a web-like pattern to the two adventurers. They were both able to dodge the ability, surprised by its presence. "You should count yourselves lucky. It's not often I get opponents who can force me to use such talents!"

Nagi ran in, spear at the ready when Sauv pressed his hands against the ground again. "Piercing Thorns!" As the attack came at her, Nagi pressed the tip of her spear into the ground and used it to vault over the attack, launching herself at the masked man. Nagi attempted to launch a kick from above, but Sauv managed to grab her by the leg and slam her down onto the ground as she let out a cry of pain. He stamped his foot down on her chest, pinning her in place. "Ha! An interesting tactic, but don't you think it's stupid to let go of your weapon?"

"No more stupid than to turn your back to a foe." Sauv tensed and twisted away to avoid Louie's sword from slashing him across the torso. It wasn't quick enough to stop it from striking at his mask though, as he pulled away from the swordsman's reach. The mask he wore spilt and fell off, revealing his face to them.

He looked young, perhaps but a few scant years older than Louie himself was. His dark hair was sticking up in various places, looking as though a brush or comb had never graced it. His eyes were a pale blue that sparked with energy, opened wide in surprise at the loss of his mask. His face, like the rest of his body, held a myriad of tribal looking tattoos. Louie wasn't sure if they meant anything or not, as they didn't seem to form a pattern of sorts. Just markings of ink as if he was getting them for the sake of getting them.

Sauv's mouth twisted into a grin and he began to outright laugh. "You broke my mask! It's been ages since anyone has managed to do that! You are strong!" He suddenly stopped glaring at Louie with his grin, now looking predatory at him. Louie couldn't help but shiver at his gaze; he was almost regretting breaking that mask which would have covered up such a sinister grin. "Strong ones like you are a threat to our plans. You need to be eliminated. So perhaps I should get serious now?"

Louie readied himself. He wasn't sure if the man before him was bluffing or not, but he wouldn't be caught off-guard. Sauv made no move to attack him, but instead laughed again. "Nah, not today. I've had my fill of fun. I guess I'll just make up an excuse later. Still, I'm glad I got to fight you. You are indeed strong, so I'll be sure to remember you for later, Louie." With that, he turned and ran.

"Hey!" Louie reached out a hand, but ultimately let him go. He was more worried about Nagi, who had been lying on the ground the entire time they were talking. "Nagi, you ok?"

"I think so. My body feels really sore though… I could use a relaxing bath." Louie sighed in relief. It would be a lot of trouble if something more permanently damaging had happened to her. Even if he knew that she could handle herself, as she had proven many a time before, Louie could never forgive himself if he allowed a woman to come to harm, knowing that he could have done something to prevent it. "He's gone… and it looks like there are more enemies to worry about than we thought."

"Yeah. We definitely have to tell the others, especially when Griff gets back." This brought him to wonder just how he was doing now. Knowing Griff and Elan as he did, it was likely they were very close to the top of the Obsidian Tower by now. He wasn't sure if they would attempt to enter the Dark World right away or not, but it would be likely there would be another, possibly new opponent waiting for them when they did. "There's not much here though… need some help getting up?"

"Please." Louie grabbed Nagi's arm and helped her to her feet, before retrieving her spear for her. Nagi took it thankfully, and looked about. I don't see much here. Did we come down here for nothing?"

"I hope not," Louie said leading the way into the final area. At first there was nothing to be found, until a bright pillar of light appeared in the middle of the room leaving behind a treasure chest and a portal with the appearance of a door leading back home. "Well, end of the road. Hopefully this will be it." Louie opened the chest and reached inside, pulling out a crystal bottle with a swirling green liquid inside. The bottle was covered in crystal vines that added to its ethereal beauty as the liquid seemed to glow in contact with the light outside. "Think this might be it?"

"I should dare to hope so. We must hurry back to Recette and the others. There's no time to spare."

* * *

**Obsidian Tower, 50****th**** Floor – Team Griff**

"Looks like we made it…"

"Whoa!" Arche, Elise and Chante looked around in wonder at the sights before them, as Griff and Elan kept an eye out for any threats. "This place is awesome," Arche said.

"It fweels like I'm super high up," Chiffon said flying to the edge.

"Elise!" Elise turned to Chante who was pointing to a large stone carving. "Look!"

"That's-!" Elise could barely believe her eyes. A demonic looking face was looking down upon them; large horns on its head curving up and out. A heavily muscled torso was visible, though its arms were pulled back as they seemed to recede into the wall. The figure was made of stone and was looking as if it were trying to break free from the wall it was attached to. It looked nothing more than a somewhat grotesque statue. But there was no mistaking the evil magic that seemed to brim just beneath the surface of it. "That's an Arch Devil! What's something like this doing here?"

"Eh, you know what that thing is," Elan asked.

"Yes. An Arch Devil was the thing responsible for my curse," Chante said. "We defeated one in the hopes that the curse would be broken but…"

"Arche that things scawry…"

"Don't worry Chiffon…"

"Relax, all of you," Griff said. "That thing is sealed away and has been for a long time now. The last time I was here, I reinforced the weakened seal to ensure that its power wouldn't go berserk."

"Wow, you did that Mr. Griff," Arche asked in wonder. She knew Griff was strong, but strong enough to overcome an Arch Devil?

"Well, at least you did it after what happened," Elan said, looking over Griff with some disapproval.

"What do you mean? What happened," Elise asked.

"…I originally had plans to free it." The girls looked shocked at this new information, Arche in worry Elise in surprise and Chante in anger. "I wanted to use its power to further my own goals. I was stopped however, by the annoying swordsman that the shopkeeper hired."

"Are you kidding me!? Do you have any idea how many people could have been hurt? Or worse," Chante screamed at him.

"I was hoping for it at the time," he said. "Besides which, I could have just left it alone. I didn't have to reseal the thing after all."

"So… why did you," Elise asked.

Griff stared at her for a few moments before responding, "As I told that foolish girl and her fairy, I have no use for a power that I cannot control. That is all. I was defeated, I didn't have the strength to properly command it, and so I ensured that no one else could."

"Foo… it looks really scary."

Arche thought about the time she had fought Griff and what she had learned about him through fighting as well as what he told her and her friends afterwards. And though Griff had looked composed the entire time they had been climbing the tower, Arche could tell something was on his mind, seeing as she journeyed with him for a few days before reaching Pensee. Although it wasn't enough to truly know him, it was perhaps the most time Griff had ever spent with humans in one instance. And something about this place, she knew, had meant something to Griff though what it was she couldn't guess.

"So um… are demons and devils really that different," Arche asked, thinking about it.

"In a sense… our ancestors say that devils are distant relatives to the demons. This makes some sense as devils are a bit more intelligent than the average monster and they do reside in the Dark World. But our kinds have never gotten along. Most demons see devils as mere minions to our cause. Or at least, they did so once," Griff said, thinking back to the stories he heard. "Devils rarely have any real strategies other than being able to work together and create some forms of civilization. The only true threats are the Arch Devils, who possess powers on par with that of some demons. Of course, they are no match for the Demon Generals, even in this day and age."

"Demon Generals," Elan asked. "First I've heard of it. I thought all demons were classified the same."

"Again, human ignorance blinds you," Griff said shaking his head. "We demons do have a… hierarchy of sorts. Although it's mostly a thing of the past. Nowadays, the only official titles known to us are the Demon King and his Generals."

"So, what would you classify yourself as," Elise asked curious.

"An assassin I suppose," he said. "In any case, we have gotten off track. We should rest for the day."

"Wait, now," Chante said disbelievingly. "We just got here and you want us to wait more?"

"It's already late afternoon and there's no telling how long we are going to be in the Dark World," Elan said. "Its best we go in fully prepared for whatever might be there. As it is, only Griff and Arche have any experience with dealing with the Dark World."

"It's probably for the best Chante," Elise said, trying to placate her sister.

The group decided to make camp at the top floor, knowing it was a safe zone. Afterwards, they agreed to go to bed early, though Arche had complained for a bit about it. Elise could not sleep though, and awoke to stare at the large seal that was binding the Arch Devil. She could hardly believe to be seeing yet another of these things in her life. She was only thankful that it was properly sealed away.

"Trouble sleeping?" Elise turned to see Griff staring at her. "That thing isn't going to be breaking free anytime soon."

"I'm not worried about that. Not entirely anyway," she said. She turned to see Chante, her body stretched out over the pillow she shared with Chiffon. "Seeing this just reminds me of that curse Chante has."

"An Arch Devil's curse, huh? So she wasn't always a fairy?" Elise looked surprised, but realized that Griff had never known about Chante's condition. Considering that he knew all the important things about what was happening in the world, that knowledge must have slipped her mind.

"Yeah. Caillou said he would look for something to help her, but… I'm not sure. We've been trying to free her from her curse for quite some time now."

"I see…" Griff turned to face the Arch Devil once more. How much had he changed, he wondered, since that fateful day? To think that he would be returning to the Dark World so soon, and yet still having nothing to show for it. Oh he was stronger than before, that much was true, but such was also to be expected of him. Within him was the proud blood of demon-kind.

"Griff… Why would you try to control this power anyway? What exactly did you plan on doing with it?"

"…I wanted to wage a war against humanity. I thought that if I forced them… made the first strike, I could rally my people behind me. If it became a fight for survival, then the demons would most certainly have to change their ways. Weakness is not tolerated among our kind."

"What about now then? Is that what you still want?"

"Of course. I want what is best for demons. However, the destruction of humanity is no longer my justification."

"But… why? What made you want to do this in the first place?"

Griff bit the inside of his cheek. On the one hand, he had no reason to tell her anything. His reasons were purely his own after all. On the other hand, he had never told anyone the reasons behind his goal, not even Selene. And she had been the closest anyone had been to him other than his father. Some might call his reasons selfish. Others might understand.

"I wanted to be a hero." It was… not a lie, but not the entirety of the truth either. For now, he wouldn't speak of it. "I wanted recognition. Reigniting the passion of the demons may not sound impressive or even spectacular on paper, but I understood the need for it all the same."

Elise frowned. Griff seemed sincere about it, but something about the answer seemed a bit off to her. Then again, many things about the demon didn't sit right with either her or Chante and the fact that he attempted to use the power of an Arch Devil to further his aims once wasn't flattering on him. Despite this, Elan and Arche trusted him. Elan, she could probably understand seeing as they were both adventurers and perhaps understood more about Griff's situation that she did. But what connection could such a young girl like Arche have with the demon? It was confusing to her.

"You should get some rest," Griff said pulling her out of her trance. "We have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Right. Night." Elise turned back to her bedding, as Griff once more faced the Arch Devil. She closed her eyes and tried not to think about the demon in their midst and whether or not he would betray them in the end.

* * *

_New Abilities unlocked!_

_Louie - Unwavering Courage_

_SP Cost: 5_

_Description: Louie unleashes his inner power, overwhelming all... at a cost!_

_Effect: Increases Louie's Damage and Defense for 10 seconds upon activation. Activation time is 0.7 seconds. Louie cannot use items in this mode and SP costs for his other abilities are doubled._

_Nagi - Sakura Dance_

_SP Cost: 10 + 1/sec_

_Description: Nagi spins and decimates all who approach in a beautiful but dangerous dance._

_Effect: Nagi attacks continuously in a 360 degree radius around her at her max spear range. SP cost increases the longer the skill is used. Nagi can move while using this skill, but ranged attacks can cancel it prematurely._


	16. Dreams of the Dark World

_A/N: Thanks for your Reviews Malandy! I try to update this every week on Saturday (PST) so check back each week for updates. That said to your questions: _

_1\. Yes, Griff would know about those kinds of curses. But he can't detect who has them (Remember, Tear also believed Chante was a fairy until told), and in true Griff fashion, wouldn't likely help cure it without something being in it for him. It's still Griff, and apart from maybe Recette, he wouldn't just 'help' humans._

_2\. The third pair of human-fairy siblings is only hinted at at the ending of Chantelise. Since it is alluded that Chante's curse is broken in that ending (Unless we get a direct sequel to it that proves otherwise), and it's better for the story that Chante stays a fairy for the time being, I am negating that ending or at least, pretending that it happens AFTER the events in this story._

_3\. The book Tale of Two Sisters reference is only for us players (The description to it also supports this). The only book actually referenced by the characters in-game is Booze of the World (Charme references this obviously). Again, considering the last point (And the fact that Elise and Chante seeing this book about their adventures would be weird, even if it does make for some great jokes) I'm taking liberties that the release of the book happens after the events of this story, when Chante and Elise would be able to sit down and write it._

_Hope that answers everything. All said, I REALLY had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Hope you all enjoy it. Peace!_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 16: Dreams of the Dark World **_

* * *

In the middle of a semi-dark cavern, the sound of flickering torchlights was all that could be heard. Not a single soul could be seen in the spacious room. From within though, a purple light could be seen as runic writing began to appear on the floor. Once there, a magic circle appeared and from within that several beings emerged.

"Whoa… what a rush," Chante said. "So this is… the Dark World? I expected it to look different…"

"We must be in a cave of some sort. Griff, you sure that spell worked," Elan asked looking around.

"Of course it worked. This is the place where the gateway leads. Although I must admit that I have never seen such caverns myself." Griff could only see a single passage leading out of the room. The room itself was barren of any kind of signs of life. He wondered if this place was truly being used to house the Elemental King of Wind.

"I suppose we should explore this place then," Arche said, drawing her sword.

"A moment," Griff said, concentrating his power until a shadow Eyebat emerged. "This should memorize the paths we take, so we don't get lost. There is no telling how deep these tunnels run."

"Good idea," Elise said, as the group made their way out of the room. Upon which, they were immediately assaulted on by a pair of black leopards. One bounded towards Griff, who immediately smashed it away with his claw without flinching. It twisted midair to right itself, only to be slashed in the face by Arche. The second had struck Elise, who was able to defend with her blade. The monster's teeth tried to bite through her defense, until Elan appeared and began to continuously punch it on its back until the creature stopped moving and vanished into energy. "Whoa!"

"Yeah, talk about no mercy right from the get goes," Elan said, looking around for more hidden threats.

"Minor threats, compared to what the rest of this place might offer us. Stay on guard," Griff said as he made his way forwards. He had not taken two steps when several screeches could be heard and three purple bats flew down from the ceiling onto them.

"Unison!" Arche and Chiffon merged quickly as powerful lavender wind energy surrounded the young swordswoman. She leapt up, great wings sprouting from her back to aid her jump, before swinging her sword and unleashed a mini tornado against the monsters. Two were able to evade while the third was enveloped into the attack, screeching loudly in pain as the winds tore at its body.

"Water!" Elise launched her spell at the second monster while Elan rushed towards the last. The monk wasn't able to land any hits however, due to the fact that the bat was able to stay just out of his reach. This meant too that the bat was unable to do more than leave minor scratches on his arms, an annoyance but not a danger. Suddenly, several blue lights converged around each of the bats and they noticed Griff concentrating.

"Burn." Flames exploded into their faces, defeating the monsters instantly. Griff calmly adjusted his glasses as the three bats disappeared and Arche and Chiffon separated. "This is going to become a nuisance."

"Hey hold on… they didn't drop magic crystals," Chante noticed. Elise and Elan looked about to see that the fairy's observation was correct.

"The monsters of the Dark World have no need for the use of them. The Dark World itself is more than enough to ensure they are powerful enough to survive here," Griff said.

"This isn't good… Chante, we are going to have to cut back on the spells, at least while we are here."

"Aw man… so much for taking the easy way out…"

They continued down the path, looking out for any branching pathways they could use. The next room had a few spiders within, but the group quickly took care of them. The room was large, much like the first room they appeared in and had three other pathways then the one they came through. "Our first obstacle. Which way," Elan asked.

"Maybe we should split up so we cover more ground," Chante suggested.

"Foo… I don't like that…"

"Chiffon is right. I don't think separating is the best thing we can do," Arche said, looking over the tunnels. Nothing seemed to indicate where each one went.

"As long as I have this, we have no worries about getting lost," Griff said, pointing to the Eyebat with him. "Let's just pick any one and keep moving."

"Then… this one," Arche said pointing to the left passage. The group walked down it, taking note that there were no monsters on this pathway. None of them were sure if this was a good thing or not though. As they reached the end of it, they noticed that it dropped off sharply. Arche looked over the edge of the path to see another one at a lower level, with a multi-colored mist on the ground. "It looks safe…"

"No, don't be so sure. If we go down there, can we even get back up," Elan said.

"Maybe I can fly down and check it out. Chiffon, come with!"

"No, neither of you will go. We should head back, now."

Wha-? But why Griff," Elise asked.

"Because I just figured out where we are. The Nightmare Mountain Range," he said. "This mountain range is quite well known as being a place where no one goes. The reason being that mist you see," he said, pointing to the mist. "Whoever breathes this mist in will fall into a sleep from which there is no awakening. Many had succumbed to it before this place was deemed too dangerous to explore. It covers about three-fourths of the mountains, only the lower altitudes not having any."

"So how did a gateway end up taking us here," Elise asked.

"I'm not sure. But this would be an excellent place to keep something without fear of letting it escape. From what I remember, the mist only clears about once a year, for only a few hours. No one knows why because no one has ever found where this mist originates from. Whoever found a way into these tunnels was extremely lucky. Or else, they simply were the ones who made these tunnels."

"Why would you say that," Arche asked.

"The fresh air," Elan said. Griff nodded. "Somewhere in this place, fresh air is coming in. It's probably why the mist down there hasn't rose any higher. Meaning there must be a place that leads out of here to somewhere safe. Well, safer in comparison to this place anyway."

"Then there must be some form of barrier that is keeping anyone from discovering it as well as keeping the Elemental King trapped here," Elise said.

"And if the King already had his powers drained away…" Chante began.

"Arche we have to help him," Chiffon said determined.

"That's what we are going to do. Ok, let's head back then. Two more paths to explore." They headed back, this time taking the path directly across from where they had entered the room and down a new path. More spiders and bats appeared which the group expertly managed to defeat. The next room held a large underground lake that separated the room preventing further access.

"Another dead end?"

"No wait," Chante said looking across the room. "I see a boat over there!" Indeed floating on the other side of the lake was a boat that looked big enough to hold them all.

"On it!" Arche and Chiffon fused together, allowing her to fly across the body of water and land safely on the boat. "I'll bring it right over!" Arche pushed hard on the edge of the lake and propelled the boat forwards to her companions. Once the boat started to move though, several splashes of water could be heard as she came face to face with two mermen, two more having jumped out of the lake where her friends were. "Out of the way you fish face things!"

The mermen were similar to others she had dealt with, but with a few noticeable differences. One being they had golden scales but the biggest was that instead of the classic trident-like weapons they wielded, they had gifted with an extra set of arms and webbed hands. Arche stabbed, forcing one of them back into the water, while trying to evade the other. The boat wasn't that big though, so her dodging movements were limited, forced instead to block the strikes from the monster. She was about to take to the sky again when she felt the power of Unison fade. The boat rocked causing the girl to stumble as the merman still on the boat took the opportunity to strike, knocking her back. "Arche, are you ok?"

"I'm fine Chiffon…" The boat rocked again and this time Arche was thrown off it completely, falling into the water. "Wha!"

"No Arche!" The other merman jumped into the water after his prey. Arche was struggling, unable to swing her sword the way she wanted to fend off her attackers. Without Sana's powers to help, her mobility and air supply was limited. She knew she could probably make it if she dropped her weapon, but that would mean giving up her only real defense. Magic was still too new to her to be able to use it effectively to protect herself.

The mermen had no problems with their assault, striking at the defenseless girl with their powerful arms. Arche struggled not to cry out, but her precious air supply was limited. Sensing the finishing blow coming soon, the mermen were surprised when a claw struck at them, forcing them back. Griff appeared, unleashing a dark vortex of energy at the two, the power drawing them in and draining away their energy. It wouldn't be enough to defeat them, but it would do to get the girl to safety.

Quickly grabbing her, he kicked up to the surface, breaking it and watching Arche cough up some water before weakly opening her eyes. "Wha…?"

"Stay silent foolish girl," Griff said as he made his way to the shore as quickly as he could, where the boat was waiting for them. "Don't waste any more energy." He pushed her into the waiting arms of Elise who helped the girl get back onto safe land. The two mermen jumped out of the water ready to pounce again, but Elan was ready for them.

"ORA!" Faster than most could perceive, Elan let loose a dozen blows onto each of the monsters, violently knocking them back into the water which created a few rocky waves. The two monsters did not resurface, and having already dealt with the other two earlier with Elise help, meant they were safe for now. "Oy, is Arche ok?"

"Yeah," Elise said, giving her a bit of herbs to recover her strength. "Didn't think she couldn't swim though."

"Probably because of her sword," Chante said. "I mean, no offense sis, but you can't swim well with your sword out either."

"I suppose that is true."

"Arche!" Chiffon rushed into Arche's arms. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah… sorry to make you worry Chiffon." She turned to the others getting up. "I'm good… we should keep moving."

"Hey, you should rest a bit more," Elan began before Griff interrupted him.

"Fine, let's move."

"Hey! She nearly died back there," Chante said angrily. "Have a heart!"

"We don't have time to waste here. We won't have time to take any extended breaks here considering the dangers. Besides, the girl said she is fine. If she needed to rest more, she would say so." Griff stepped onto the boat, waiting for the rest of them. Chante grumbled a bit, but relented with Elise and Elan helping Arche to the boat. Truth to be told, Arche did want to rest more, but she knew that the gravity of their situation would not permit much. It would be best if they could all rest together then having to waste time for a single person.

After crossing the lake, the next path was fortunately free of monsters. The room afterwards though again led to more pathways, this time two. The group chose the right pathway, and they were once again on their way. This time, their progress was impeded by a locked gateway. "This is definitely suspicious," Elise said.

"Seems like we need a key to open this," Elan said, observing the panel next to the doorway which held a small hole where a key might fit into.

"Think there's one in the other pathway," Chante asked.

"I would hope so. I'd rather we didn't have to go all the way back to the first crossroads," Griff said as the group silently agreed. They made their way back, this time going through the other passageway. The incline had them making their way down as they explored more. The next room had several piles of bones in it, which creeped out Arche and Chante, but Griff paid no mind to them while Elan only grimaced at their presence.

As they were crossing into the next pathway through, some spiked barriers crashed down, separating Elan and Elise from Arche and Griff. "Whoa!" A rattling sound could be heard from behind the monk and swordswoman as they turned to see the bones coming to life, revealing two skeletons wearing crude leather armor. One was wielding a sword while the other held an axe. "Oh just great…" Elan mumbled, readying his stance.

"Aw man, no! This is too creepy," Chante said in fear. "Why does it always have to be skeletons!?"

"Focus Chante," Elise said, readying herself. The two quickly chose their targets, Elan the one with the sword and Elise the one with the axe. The young girl swung her blade to meet the skeleton's weapon, a clash of steel against steel. She was surprised by the strength the skeleton showed, and weaved around the enemy's next strike, slashing at its backside. The skeleton jumped up high and swung the axe down intent on splitting her in half. Elise focused her inner power and readied her blade as it rose to meet the axe. "Counter!" The energy within her raced into her arms and reflected the power of the monster's attack back at it, blowing its arms away along with its weapon. The skeleton looked surprised for a moment as Chante flew up into its face.

"Hey, bonehead!" The monster glared at the fairy as she stuck out her tongue at it. "Nyah!" Chante flew in circles around it, as the monster attempted to strike at her with its skull. The distraction proved enough as Elise quickly launched two strikes against the beast.

"Cross Cut!" The monster fell apart becoming a pile of bones once more before vanishing, a single Magic Crystal appearing from where the body was. "Good job Chante. And looks like we got lucky."

Elan was having little difficulty with his own opponent. Every time the monster tried to strike with its sword, the monk would deflect the attack away with his fists, making a few quick jabs against the beast's torso before it jumped away. "Heh! Not too shabby!" Going on the offensive, the skeleton did all it could to avoid being struck by Elan's fists. Several of the skeleton's exposed ribs had cracks in them already from mere glancing blows.

The monster tried to give a quick piercing blow, which turned out to be a mistake as Elan merely grabbed the arm and pulled, ripping it completely off. The skeleton tried to strike with its remaining arm, but Elan pulled away and tossed the other arm aside. "I've been meaning to test this out. My 'ranged' strike! Chi Burst!" Elan's hands glowed with powerful energy before launching a punch forwards. The energy released, taking the form of a fist as it plowed straight through the monster's body, destroying it instantly. "Haha! That's what I'm talking about! Louie's going to be in for a big surprise next time we spar."

The monsters defeated, the gateway was opened again, to which Arche ran in to check on her friends. "That was so cool," she said admiring their new abilities. "Are you guys okay though?"

"Right as rain," Elan said with a big grin. "Though I wish I had some booze to celebrate."

"We're ok," Elise said as Chiffon began to inspect Chante for any injuries.

"Yeah just fine," Chante said trying to get back her personal space from the Wind Elemental. "We're too tough to be taken down!"

"We need to keep moving," Griff said, leading the way again as the rest of them followed. Pushing ahead, they continued to the next room, which was rather large and looked for the most part empty. Further in though, they could make out the image of a chest sitting on a pedestal with a glowing artifact floating above it.

"Ah! That's a Mark of Heroism!"

"Mark of what now," Elan asked.

"I've heard of those," Elise said as Arche ran up to it. "They are supposed to be objects which appear to those recognized as adventurers, which boost their strengths and allow them to grow stronger."

"Yeah! I've collected a few of them with Sana and Stella before," Arche said reaching up to it and watching the object glow brighter before disappearing, her body glowing in response. Elan, meanwhile, opened up the chest and pulled out a silver key.

"Think this is what we need?"

"Only one way to find out," Chante said. The group made their way back to the crossroads, keeping an eye out for more surprises in their wake. Backtracking to the locked gate, they used the key to open the pathway, only to be greeted by several large spiders. The group was able to cut them down quickly enough, pushing ahead. As they walked the narrow passageway though, everyone was on high alert. Suddenly a cracking sound could be heard, stopping them all in their tracks.

"Did you guys hear that too?"

"Yes. Stay on guard all of-!" Griff's words were cut short as the ground he was standing on collapsed, causing him to fall. Everyone else was able to back away from the sudden chasm, though Arche and Chiffon carefully looked into the pit.

"Griff! Are you ok!?"

For a few moments, no answer could be heard. "I… am fine. A little disoriented, but fine." Griff shook his head, looking around. He noticed he was on a ledge, overlooking a large room. There did not appear to be any easy way down, but Griff knew his claws could be used to climb back up if needed. Within this room was a single exit, meaning that this was originally a dead end. He wasn't sure where the pathway could lead, but he knew better than to try and explore it. "I'll be up soon. Just wait."

Griff was about to climb up, when a pair of voices echoed from the passageway. "Are you sure we should be in here?"

"Oh lighten up! There's nothing dangerous in these caves! Besides, you don't want to be called a coward, right?"

"Well, no…"

Griff ducked low, watching as two young demons, looking to be in their teen years, entered the room. One had a similar dark skin tone as himself, while the other had a somewhat lighter one. Both were wearing casual clothing, with one of them holding onto a dagger. He was intrigued by their presence.

"Nothing here… man, it's just dead ends everywhere," the lighter skinned demon said.

"Maybe we should head back… our parents did say not to come in here after all."

"Oh please. This is the only cave that goes into the mountain, there has to be treasure here somewhere! Why else would this place be here?" The demon that spoke looked around more. "Besides, there are no monsters or anything here anyway. Not that they would be a challenge to me!"

"Batai…"

"Maybe they all ran away as soon as they heard me coming! I am the strongest demon in the village after all!"

"If that is true, I weep for your village then." Both boys turned to see Griff jump down. "I was wondering what brats like you were doing in here."

"Hey! I'm not a brat, my name is Batai! And this is Coute!"

"Batai, maybe we should go…"

"Hmph. You've got a lot of guts to be speaking to your betters in that tone," Griff said. "So answer me. Why are you here? And how did you get in here?"

"Bah, I'm not answering that," Batai said, drawing a sword. "If you wanna know so bad, then beat me first!"

"Batai, you can't! That guy… he's definitely a demon and he looks strong," Kali said.

"Looking strong and being strong are two different things. Besides, I always did want to see how I stack up against an older demon! Hey, demon! Don't you dare hold back against me!"

"With that attitude, I wouldn't dream of it." The young demon rushed into his attack, which Griff easily parried with his gauntlets. "Demon Soul!" Unleashing a powerful wave of energy, he quickly struck the boy's chest, knocking him onto his back. The boy let out a groan of pain, his chest hurting as he struggled to get up. The blow was too much for him though, as he collapsed again. "Hmph."

"Batai! Hey, what's the big idea?" Coute flinched when Griff glared to him. "W-wait! I don't want to fight!"

"Stop it… Coute…" Batai struggled to sit up, which he somehow managed. "That… that's disgraceful. You're supposed to be a demon! Demons don't run from a fight!"

"Batai, are you ok?"

"I'll manage… I think…" Both boys were startled when Griff tossed a pouch of herbs at the boy's feet. "Wha?"

"That attitude of yours… not many demons hold those principles anymore in this day and age."

"…What do you mean?"

"The warrior spirit… that ancient blood that runs in our veins as demons. Most nowadays do not strive for such things like glory in battle against worthy opponents. The race of demons has grown soft." Coute looked to him somewhat worried, but Batai was staring as if he was in the presence of the very Demon King himself.

"Y-yeah! I know! Everyone at the village is always so careful! They barely let us fight, let alone explore around! My dad is a General, and if he were around he'd definitely whip them all into shape!"

"Oh? Your father is a Demon General? That's rather interesting. Tell me, what happened to him then?"

"Well… he was called to the Demon Palace a few years ago… he hasn't come back yet, but that's probably because he's doing something important for the King!" As Batai talked, Coute applied the herbs to him and he found his strength quickly returning. "But anyway… you're really strong! Hey, how did you get so strong anyway? You gotta teach me!"

Griff closed his eyes, internally smiling in satisfaction. _So, there are still others… who crave the strength of old._ "Unfortunately, I'm very busy doing something at this moment. I'm searching for something in these caves. It's important that I find it. It will certainly lead us back to our lost roots." Griff turned away. "You should go. I can't be distracted at this point… but when my journey is over, I will gladly train you. It's refreshing to see such ambition, especially in one so young."

"An important journey… ok, I get it. But you have to promise alright? I definitely want to be as strong as you!"

"Of course. As a demon, you have my word. My name is Griff."

"Griff huh… ok, Griff! You better keep your promise!" Batai stood, feeling better now that the herbs had done their work. "Coute, let's go. I gotta get a head start on training, now!"

"Batai…" For a moment, the dark skinned demon watched the two, before Coute turned to Griff. "Um… sorry about all this."

"Do not apologize. You should focus on becoming stronger yourself." Coute frowned, but followed his friend out of the room. Griff sighed before looking back up. "So, it seems I found out quite a few new things… but first things first. The King of Wind." With that Griff jumped back up and used his claws to start climbing up and back to the rest of the group. There was plenty to discuss with the others.

* * *

_New Abilities Unlocked!_

_Elise - Counter_

_Description: Elise guards against attacks with a punishing strike!_

_Effect: By attacking at the right moment, Elise negates an enemy's attack with one of her own and avoids damage. Does not effect Touch-based damage._

_Elise - Cross Cut_

_Sp Cost: 10_

_Description: A 1-2 sword strike that cleaves through foes!_

_Effect: Elise deals a quick double strike in front of her, dealing heavy damage and knockdown. Activates in 0.3 seconds._

_Elan - Chi Blast_

_Sp Cost: 10_

_Description: Elan unleashes a burst of power directly at his enemies!_

_Effect: Elan's 'ranged' ability, travels a fair distance or until it strikes the first target it hits. Useful for dealing with troublesome enemies that are hard to get close to. 1 sec activation time._


	17. Versus Dark Knight

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 17: Versus Dark Knight **_

* * *

Griff, Arche, Elise and Elan were currently resting in a large room, having dispatched the monsters within the room. Griff was on watch as everyone else ate to help replenish their strength. Griff denied eating with them, simply snacking on some fruit as he kept an eye out for any dangers. Thankfully none seemed to be around.

Griff had already spoken to the rest of the group about his encounter with the two demon kids. He surmised that the ground there had been weakened and allowed the air flow from below to come up. Wherever the kids had come in from, it was low enough on the mountain to avoid the Dream Mist. He himself had been surprised to think that demons would reside so close to this place.

Once ready, the group continued to move on. There was no indication of just how deep into the mountain they were going, but they soon came upon a room with a high ceiling. And the room was not empty. Standing in the center was a person wearing black armor that covered their entire body. A large broadsword was seen in the person's hands, the blade planted into the ground. Their head was bowed down, looking at the ground, but rose up upon the groups entering. A slight clanking sound echoed out as the person moved, looking over the ones who intruded.

"So… you have come at last. I was expecting you." The voice that echoed out was slightly distorted, but they recognized it as male. "You may call me the Black Knight."

"Original," Griff responded. "Then, if you were expecting us, you must know why we are here."

"Correct. You came to free the Wind Elemental we placed here. As you may have gathered, it is being imprisoned just beyond here."

"Well, we aren't going to rest until we free him," Arche said, drawing her sword.

"That's right," Chiffon agreed, puffing himself up.

"Very well. Then you may go and take him, if you wish."

"Hah! Don't think we won't fall for… wait, what," Chante said surprised.

"You'll let us take him? Just like that," Elise asked confused.

"Of course. He is no use to us now that his power is already drained. I'm quite amazed that the thing hasn't succumbed to the Dark World's power by now. Truly a testament to being the King of Wind," the Dark Knight said calmly.

"So why are you even here then," Elan asked confused.

"I merely wished to see the opponents I will be facing soon enough. To be honest, I wanted to gauge your abilities myself if I could get the chance. The fact that you made it here means that you are most qualified. Moreover… I wanted to see if Selene's boasts about the legendary Griff were true or not. She talks about you quite often you know."

"I see… I heard Selene had joined with you. Tell me, how did you manage to do it? I never would have imagined that Selene would work with humans like you."

"Wait, he's human," Arche said surprised.

"My guess is that armor protects him from the Dark World's influence," Griff said, observing the Knight. "At the very least, I can tell he has very little magical power, which rules out him being a Demon or Elf."

"My, you are quite perceptive. Selene was not wrong about you. In that case, I propose a deal… Griff, you want what Selene wants, and we can help grant it to you. Join us. I'm sure you would be welcomed with open arms."

Griff closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "There was a time I might have considered it… but I have my pride as a demon. I will bow to no one." Griff motioned for Arche and Elise to move. "You two go and secure the Elemental. Elan and I have things we must discuss with our new… companion."

"What!? You expect us to just walk away after all we went through," Chante yelled out in indignation.

"Right," Elise said, putting away her sword. "Let's go Chante, Arche."

"Wait, you're just gonna agree with him sis?"

"Right now… we have a chance to get the Wind King without fighting. We should take it." Arche wanted to protest as well, but she knew a good opportunity when she saw it. She also had reservations about fighting this Knight. Something about him was really off, but she couldn't put what it was.

The two girls went off, leaving the three adults in the room. "Elan, prepare yourself. This isn't an opponent we can go easy against. Once we capture him, we can force him to tell us who he is working for and what their scheme is in all this."

The Dark Knight said nothing to this information for a few moments. "Well, you are everything she said and more. But do you really think this will go as you wish it?" The moment he finished, he was charged at by Elan, who had already released his inner power. A flurry of fists struck his armor, and he was surprised by how powerful the blows were. Elan finished up with a palm strike to the chest, causing the Knight to skid backwards a few feet.

Before giving him a chance to recover, Griff rushed in, claw ready to strike. What he had not expected was the Knight to quickly raise his blade and knock the attack away, the force being enough to shift his body along with it to the side. With speed that Elan knew could barely be considered possible given how heavy and protective his armor was, the Knight attempted to strike at the monk who used his agile reflexes to dodge.

_Damn, he's too quick! Just how does he move that fast anyway?_ Elan used a fist to parry a blow, but only just, as he aimed a punch into the armored Knight's face. To his astonishment, the Knight did not even flinch, instead raising his fist and giving Elan a punch in the face back. Elan fell, landing on his back with the Knight raising his blade to finish him off. He swung down, only for Griff to intercept, both arms raised up to catch the strike. His body was already releasing the power of his Demon Soul, but the force applied to him was still enough to bring him down onto one knee as he struggled to keep the blade from doing any more damage.

_What power! He's definitely no ordinary human… is it the armor?_ With a yell he forced the blade away and charged in, his claw striking at the Knight's breastplate. Even that was not enough to pierce the armor though, as the Knight merely gripped Griff's arm and effortlessly threw him over his shoulder.

"Chi Blast!" The Dark Knight stumbled at the force of Elan's strike, as he continued to use it to strike at his foe from a distance. The Dark Knight calmly walked up to him, now prepared as he shrugged off the blows as if they were nothing. "Damn it, go down!" He unleashed a flurry of blows, but was interrupted when another punch knocked him down hard.

Griff slashed with his claws, causing the Knight to block the attacks with his blade. As the intensity of the blows continued to pile up, the Dark Knight unleashed a spinning slash, cutting across Griff's chest and forcing the demon back. "Spin Vacuum Cut!" The Dark Knight spun quickly, unleashing a three hundred sixty degree Vacuum Cut wave which forced Elan and Griff to duck. Griff raised up his claw to block another strike, though the force of it was still enough to knock him aside.

Recovering quickly, Griff unleashed a wave of dark energy at the Knight, in hopes of siphoning away some of his power. The Knight looked unaffected by the attack though, charging at the demon until he was knocked off course by Elan's Flame Charge. "Damn it, nothing we do is working."

"That armor of his must be enchanted by some spell," Griff said, starting to feel the exhaustion. Griff wondered if sending Elise and Arche aside had really been a good idea. While neither of them would have been a match for this opponent in their current condition and strength, he couldn't help but wonder if they would be more of a help or hindrance to their current predicament.

Without warning, the Knight put away his sword. "Well done. You truly have great power. Unfortunately, this is where we part ways."

"What you expect us to let you go," Elan said. Despite the fact that he was bruised in several places, he held strong, ready for more. "In your dreams."

"Perhaps. But I sincerely doubt you can maintain your false bravado for much longer. I would suggest you take this opportunity to recover. The trials you will face will become only that much greater now that we are so close to our goal." The Knight turned and walked away. Elan was about to go after him, but Griff stopped him.

"Griff! What-?"

"If we are to let you go, then I ask you answer this one question first," the demon said, causing the Dark Knight to stop, but not turn around. "Why do you choose to follow this route? Surely you realize the damage being done."

The Dark Knight pondered answering the demon for a moment before replying, "I owe my life to the one I follow. I simply seek to repay that by doing what I can for them." With that, he left down the passage that Arche and Elise took. Elan and Griff watched him go before sighed. Elan sat down, and though Griff was equally tired, he refused to show that weakness.

"What a guy… to think there are people that tough," Elan said. "I wonder who would win, him or my old master."

"We have little time for your jokes. We need to recover soon," Griff said pulling out some medicine and applying it to his wounds. They would need to hurry and find Arche and Elise soon, lest something else happen to them.

* * *

As Griff and Elan fought the Dark Knight, Elise and Arche wandered down the pathway beyond. They reached another crossroads, but this time one of the paths was blocked by a gateway. "You think that way might be to the Elemental King," Elise asked, pointing to the blocked passage.

"I'd definitely bet money on it sis," Chante said. "Hopefully there is a key or something in the other pathway though…"

"Let's find out," Arche said, keeping her weapon drawn in case of emergencies. As they wandered down the pathway, they took note of the lack of monsters. The girls would have suspected that these lower passages would be teeming with them, especially if the Elemental King was nearby. As they reached the end of the path, a light could be seen from the next room glowing lavender.

Entering it, they were shocked to see a figure suspended in an energy field, floating over an altar. Arche was shocked to see the figure looked much like Chiffon, though with a much larger tail and ears. The tips of said tail and ears were gold, while the rest of the fur was white. Like Chiffon, the creature was wearing clothing, consisting of robes and what appeared to be a jester's hat. It floated, silently, and did not react to the presence of the girls.

"Is… is this it? Chiffon, he kinda looks like you," Arche exclaimed.

"Foo… yeah! He… looks familiar too."

"Eh!? Really? Then maybe you knew him from the past?"

"We should help him," Chante said, as she flew up towards the glowing barrier. She charged into it, but merely bounced off, with only a headache to show for it. "Ow, Ow… ok, not my best idea…"

"That barrier looks really powerful… it must be protecting the King," Elise observed. "We need to find a way to break it if we hope to take him with us."

"We gotta smash it with everything we have!"

"Um, maybe not…"

"Chiffon is right," Arche said. "I don't think we can just break it. But… I don't know what to do either. Mr. Griff would probably know." Suddenly Arche's body began to shine a bright light. "Wah! What's happening?"

"Foo! Arche, the stone!"

"Your Elemental Stone is glowing," Elise said, to which Arche held up Silpheed and stared. The Stone's glow matched the barrier for the King of Wind's as a beam of light shot out from it. It struck the barrier and instantly it was broken, the Elemental King silently hovering down until its body was resting against the altar. It still did not move, save for the tiny breaths it was taking. "That worked… but what happened."

"Oh yeah! My Elemental Stone has the Wind King's power in it. Maybe it knew the King was in trouble and helped," Arche said, putting the stone away.

"Well, we better take the King and get out of this place," Chante said. "Whatever he has to say, its better we get somewhere safe." Elise nodded, reaching up and picking the Elemental King.

"He's lighter than I thought…"

"Ok, let's get going," Arche said, leading the group back towards Griff and Elan. As they went back though, Chante noticed something unusual at the crossroads.

"Uh guys. Look!" Everyone stopped to see Chante pointing to the now opened path that was once blocked. "It's open… did it open when we freed the King?"

"I don't know… but we shouldn't investigate it just yet," Elise said. "We need to get back to Elan and Griff." Deciding to leave the pathway alone for now, the group turned back to their original destination and headed back to the large room where they had left their companions with the Dark Knight. Upon entering, they saw Elan and Griff resting, the Knight nowhere to be found. Elan perked up seeing them first and got up with a smile.

"Hey! Glad you girls are alright."

"Is that the Elemental King," Griff asked seeing the creature in Elise's arms. He also took a look down the path they came from.

"Yeah, we got him back safe and sound! My Elemental Stone saved him," Arche said proudly.

"Did you guys see the Dark Knight coming back," Elan asked. "He went down the passageway you just came down."

"Foo… we didn't see anything…"

"Ah… though there was a pathway there that was blocked earlier," Elise mentioned. "After we got the Elemental King back though, it opened up. Maybe the Dark Knight went through there?"

"In that case, I have a feeling we should follow," Griff said. "I think we've rested enough. Take us to that passage." The girls nodded, leading the way back through the passageway to the crossroads there. Once through, Griff lead them down the path that the Dark Knight must have taken. Once they reached the end though, it was only to discover a dead end. "Hm…"

"Nothing here? So, wait then where did he go," Chante said looking around.

"There were no other passageways. At least, nothing we could see," Elise said, thinking. Before she could speak any further, a magic circle appeared under all of their feet, glowing purple. "Wha-!?"

The group had a sensation of something lifting them as they were teleported from one dead end passage to another. Looking around, none of them could recognize where they were, but Arche noticed that there was an open gateway nearby. "Where are we? Are we still in the mountains," Arche asked.

"I think so," Griff said. "If my guess is right…" Griff lead the way down the only passage they could take. At the end, they entered a room with several other passageways and a few monsters. Everyone except Elise, who was still carrying the Elemental King, quickly took them down.

"Now what… more tunnels," Elan said, looking over the options. There were three passages to choose from.

"Not more. Just familiar ones," Griff said, summoning the Eyebat that had been keeping track of their progress. Griff spoke something to it, in a language no one else in their group understood, before it flew off down one of the passageways. "This way." The group quickly followed it, and everyone except the demon was surprised to find it had lead them back to the portal to the Dark World they had entered from. "As I thought. That Teleportation Circle was meant to quickly move to and from there to the entrance. The Dark Knight must have had a way to keep others from accessing it. I suppose in his haste to be rid of us, he left the access gates opened."

"So he's gone now," Elan said. "If he used the gate to go back to the tower…"

"He would have likely left the dungeon already," Elise said. "Looks like he completely got away from us."

"Shame we couldn't kick his butt though," Chante said slightly disappointed. "But hey, at least we saved the Elemental King! Mission accomplished!"

"It's something anyway," Griff said. "Let's head back. I'm not even sure how long we've been down here," he said. He didn't carry a watch, and being in caves was an easy way to lose track of time.

Needless to say, everyone was glad this adventure was over, for now.


	18. Chiffon's Past

_A/N: Another big moment chapter. Quick thanks to everyone who reads this and follows the updates. Your support, though silent, is encouraging me to keep on going. _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 18: Chiffon's Past**_

* * *

It was a great relief to those waiting at Recettear to see the others come back safely. When Elan, Griff, Arche, Elise, Chiffon and Chante came back, it was to welcome arms and a revived Tielle, having been gone a full day and a half in the Dark World. Elan was glad that Louie and Nagi had managed to pull through for their Archer friend, and having informed Tielle of the current situation, both groups shared what they had observed in their mutual adventures. Griff though, had chosen to keep his encounter with the younger demons to himself.

With everyone they knew now caught up, the only thing left was to await the awakening of the Elemental King. It turned out they hadn't needed to wait long. Within the spacious room that was the shop of Recettear, the Elemental King of Wind, Eolia, began to stir. "He's waking up," Recette said, looking over the Elemental. Unlike the last one, this was much smaller, and in many of the girls' opinions, much cuter than anything they had seen. The Elemental opened its mouth to yawn slightly.

Immediately, a great wind picked up inside the shop, nearly blowing them all down and scattering the items on display off their shelves. Tear and Chante had to hold on for dear life to their companions in order not to be blown away by the intense winds. _**"Ah… mrg… where am I?"**_

"Um… hello mister Eolia," Sana said peacefully. "You are in Pensee right now…"

"_**Pensee… that's right. I was coming here to see Ignus,"**_ the King said, now starting to float slightly. _**"Ugh… my powers are… so it seems I met the same fate as Algorn…I can barely feel my own strength."**_

"We spoke to Ignus not too long ago," Stella said. "He told us a lot about what is happening. So you are saying Algorn was the first to fall then?"

"_**Yes… when I sensed Algorn's powers start to fade, I made for the others to try and warn them. However… I was captured by a strange individual who wore a dark armor. He took me to the Dark World… and I can't remember much after that. The Dark World is unfriendly to all that traverse it."**_ He looked over the group. _**"I take it you are all responsible for saving me from that place?"**_

"Oh well, not all of us," Louie said, curiously observing the Elemental King with interest. "Mostly those guys." He pointed to each of the people who had braved the Dark World.

"_**I see… I would never guess that I would owe my life to one of the Demon Race. Nevertheless, you have my eternal gratitude."**_

"Um, Mister Eolia," Arche said, causing the Elemental to focus on her. "My name is Arche. This," she said holding up her Elemental Stone, "is the one you made, right?"

"_**Indeed… this stone is mine."**_ He turned to face Chiffon, who looked a bit intimidated by the presence of the Elemental King. _**"My, my… if it isn't Chiffon. I haven't seen you in about three hundred years. You look well. Are you having fun with your new partner?"**_

"Mister Eolia, you know Chiffon?"

"_**Hm… yes. I was there when Chiffon went with her. He is… well, I suppose you can call him my apprentice."**_

"An Apprentice? Elementals have apprentices," Charme asked.

"_**Well, perhaps ward is a better term. Elementals are not born in the traditional sense that humans think of. We simply… are. When I first met Chiffon he was rather young and didn't know much about his powers or how to control them. So I offered to look after him and help him learn about what he was. We traveled together for some time before that young woman met with me. I found her goal to be something of a noble one. And the fact that she could convince a stubborn fool like Algorn to side with her was plenty of proof for me."**_

"Is that… true," Chiffon said uncertainly. "I can't remember…"

"Oh yeah! Mister Eolia, Chiffon was sealed with the Elemental Stone and can't remember what happened," Arche said slightly depressed. "Can you help him?"

"_**Hmm… I think so."**_ Eolia raised his tail and pressed it against Chiffon's forehead. Chiffon froze in place as Eolia began to glow with power. Chiffon's eyes began to glow as well, before the light enveloped his body and seemed to sink into him. When it was over, Eolia removed the tail and floated back down to rest. _**"That took… a lot more than I realized."**_

"Chiffon, are you ok," Arche asked worried.

Chiffon rubbed his head, shaking it as he felt long forgotten memories resurface…

* * *

"_**Rather brave of you to come seeking someone like me."**_

"_Of course. I understand the need for such things."_

_Chiffon looked between the two talking. He was floating behind Eolia, who was walking to a young woman in robes, carrying a large staff. He wasn't sure who this person was, but if Master Eolia was revealing himself to her to speak, she was either really powerful or really important._

_The two Elementals had been journeying around for some time now, going wherever Eolia commanded the wind take them. Chiffon knew that someday he too would have the power to completely control the wind, but for now could hardly conjure a light breeze. Eolia was patient with him though, teaching him about what it meant to be a Wind Elemental. Chiffon looked up to the King, almost seeing him like a father figure. As far as Chiffon could remember, Eolia was there to help guide him._

"_Um… Master Eolia, who is that," Chiffon asked._

"_Oh? I didn't know you had a child Eolia. He's rather cute," the woman said to which Chiffon blushed and looked both flattered and embarrassed._

"_**He's a young one, not mine though. Still, he has lots of potential as far as Elementals go. Back to the topic at hand… you must understand how much of a risk I am taking with this."**_

"_Of course," the woman bowed her head speaking. "I would not come up with this proposal if I didn't fully believe it would work. Renoria, the land of paradise. To see it once again come alive, a world without conflict or strife. That is my dream."_

"_**You are quite the idealist. You should know better than anyone that conflict is something within the nature of humans. We Elementals know it well."**_

"_Of course. I am not so naïve to not understand the errors of the past. No matter what the era, there will always be those who try to overstep their bounds and seek more than what they have. But I feel that is all the more reason to try and revive this age once more. We must work hard at it, but I think with your powers helping, it can be done."_

"_**You realize that although I am lending my power to help create this… 'Elemental Stone' as you call it; I cannot be bound to it completely. I have my duties as the Elemental King of Wind to maintain the balance."**_

"_Of course," the woman said. "I was thinking of at least finding another. A Wind Elemental would make the best choice."_

"_**I see… Chiffon."**_

_Chiffon seemed slightly startled being addressed. He had been paying attention to the conversation, but hadn't thought he would be a part of it. "Yes, Master Eolia?"_

"_**You can assist us with this. I want you to go with this person. She will help you as I have."**_

"_Are you… sure Master," Chiffon questioned, looking at the woman. She didn't look threatening, but Eolia's teachings about never revealing themselves to humans were something he didn't forget easily._

"_**Of course. I would not suggest it if I wasn't completely sure. She will take good care of you."**__ Eolia turned to face the woman. __**"I will leave Chiffon here in your care. Look after him. And trust me when I say I will know if something happens to him," **__Eolia said, the sky becoming slightly overcast as he spoke, a testament to his power._

"_Of course. I thank you for trusting me in this matter." The woman turned to face Chiffon and offered a smile, holding out her hand. "So you are named Chiffon then? It's very nice to meet you. I am called Minasa-Ratis. I promise to be your friend for as long as I live."_

* * *

"Chiffon?"

"Ah… foo… I… I remember!" Chiffon suddenly perked up and rushed to the Elemental King. "Master Eolia, I haven't seen you in so long!" Chiffon hugged the Elemental King, to which Eolia only gave a wistful smile.

"Aww," came the simultaneous sounds from Arche, Sana and Recette.

"_**My you certainly have grown. Chiffon, I see you made a new friend since we last met."**_

"Oh, yeah!" Chiffon flew to Arche and landed on her head. "This is Arche, my bestest friend ever! And these are our other friends, Sana and Stella!"

"_**I see… I am glad you have made such wondrous friends."**_ After he finished speaking, Chiffon began to glow again, though this time Arche began to glow as well. _**"Ah… it seems to be happening."**_

"Arche what's happening," Stella asked concerned.

"I don't know… but I feel all warm inside."

"_**The power of Unison is growing stronger within you."**_ Everyone turned to face Eolia. _**"When I first helped Minasa-Ratis create this power, it was meant to become stronger, or weaker, depending on the bond between the Elemental and the user. While anyone could potentially use the power of Unison, if the person with the stone is only using its power for themselves or if Chiffon rejects the user, then his powers will not meld properly with them and the Stone will become almost useless. It seems Chiffon's memory problems were holding back a lot of the power he could have shared with you before, and they are now unlocking."**_

"I see… the bond between the Elemental and the human. I suppose this too was a test for her that you included," Tear remarked.

"_**Indeed, you Fae are sharp… yes, I wanted to see her conviction to the cause. Although she is no longer of this world, I am glad that Chiffon has a great friend in you, Arche. Seeing the two of you together… it reminds me of her. And that her dream may yet still live on."**_

"Sir Elemental King," Nagi began, "Perhaps you can tell us where the King of Water is located? We were hoping to find him and perhaps warn him of the dangers."

"_**The Water King? If I recall, he resides on an island in… what did you humans call it? The Ragdoll Straits. It is protected by special barriers so the only way you could find him would be if you had a powerful Elemental with you, or at the very least, the Original Elemental Stone of Water, Aquinas."**_

"I guess Sana's Stone isn't strong enough then," Stella remarked. Sana looked to her stone, Eolamest, the gift of her father who also worked as a healer. It had always served her faithfully, and only recently had she truly begun to appreciate what it did for her and her friends. Though she knew Stella meant nothing of it, she didn't want to be burden to her friends either.

"_**I'd take you myself if I were strong enough… but having my power drained, and being in the Dark World, I'm lucky enough to still be alive. I'm sorry, but this is all I can do for you."**_

"It's ok," Recette said, giving the Elemental King some Walnut Bread. The Elemental took it graciously, munching it. "If you need to rest, you can stay here! Me and Tear would be glad to help out."

"Indeed. I doubt you have anywhere else to be at the moment," Tear said.

"In that case, I suppose we should plan for this. How do we do it," Elan asked.

"There is something I must discuss with the Elemental, privately," Griff said. Everyone looked to him in confusion. "Moreover, I need to investigate something within the Dark World. So I will not be available for the time being."

"Well, there is something I need to get in order to finalize the cure for Chante's curse," Caillou said. "An extremely rare material here, but it's more commonly found in Abyssinia. Elise, I'd rather you and Chante rest after that experience in the Dark World."

"It's probably for the best."

"I will accompany you," Charme said. "Might be fun."

"Then I will go too. There is something I need to investigate in Abyssinia as well."

"You mean your dad, Stella," Sana asked.

"Yes. It's high time he answers a few questions I have," Stella said. She knew this would be her best chance at finding her father and getting him to explain himself for everything he had been doing over the past few months.

"Guess we gotta go and find the Elemental King Sana!"

"_**Arche, I would rather you stay here."**_ Eolia's words surprised them. _**"There are things I need to speak with Chiffon about… as well as teach him and you more about your power of Unison. Consider it training."**_

"I… guess that works."

"It's ok, Arche. I can do it," Sana said confidently.

"Are you sure Sana? What if you get hurt?"

"I can spare some manpower if you need it," Louie said. "Nothing will get by me!"

"Then I will go too! It's time for Tielle to shine," the archer exclaimed. "I'll go pack right now! We're gonna need lots of muffins!"

"Don't worry. I have plenty of supplies for you all," Recette said.

"Then I'd rather you buy them this time. It would be detrimental to the shop if we kept just giving things away to them," Tear said.

"Hey, come on, don't be stingy," Chante said.

"We are a business, not a charity," Tear began as she shifted into 'lecture mode'. "While I would not mind helping our friends, this is Recette's livelihood as it were. Even if we have some profits we can't just dig into them with recklessness."

"Oh come on, if you are already making a profit then what's the big deal," Chante exclaimed. "A couple hundred Pix won't kill you!"

"As co-owner of this store, I do have a say in what policies we will allow concerning our business, thank you very much. Just because you have the outward appearance of a fairy doesn't give you the necessary tools or insight required to run a business of this standard. I spent many years learning management skills that you lack to successfully open a profiting establishment. I put a lot of hard work into helping Recette with this store and I shall not see it go to waste."

"Did you just call me stupid!?"

"Tear that's enough!"

"Chante, please stop embarrassing yourself…"

Both girls took their respected fairy companions away from each other, lest they started to fight. The two fairies glared at one another, causing Recette and Elise to both sigh. They hoped it would work for the best though.

* * *

"Well, I never expected you to be defeated." The Dark Knight turned to see the masked man, Sauv, walk up to him. They were currently outside of Pensee, away from prying eyes and listening ears.

"I was not defeated. I simply did not wish to use my full strength against such opponents," the Dark Knight said. "Still, even with my armor, I was surprised they could do such damage. But what of your venture? That fight was completely unnecessary."

"Oh lighten up. I was just having fun. Besides, I got the information we need," Sauv said.

"Then share it. I'd like to know where we have to go," came a third voice as the Dark Witch Selene walked up to them.

"Ah Selene… still as annoying as ever," Sauv said.

"Listen here you little-!"

"Enough, both of you. Your fighting is pointless." Both glared at one another before turning away. "You know where to find the final Elemental King?"

"Yeah. Once we have that, everything will go as we planned it."

"Even without the Arch Devil?"

"Well, in theory it should work," Selene said. "The Arch Devil is just to stabilize the power should it go out of control. A failsafe, but not exactly a necessary one."

"Seriously? I went through all the trouble of trying to find one and you tell me I didn't have to," Sauv complained. "I swear, giving me all this work…"

"That is enough. I will contact you later concerning the whereabouts of the Elemental," the Dark Knight said. Sauv merely shrugged and walked off. Selene was about to as well, when he spoke once more. "Selene, I encountered Griff in the Dark World."

The Dark Witch froze, but didn't dare to turn around. "And?"

"I do not think he can be persuaded to join our cause. You should give up on him."

"How absurd," Selene said with venom in her voice. "I'm certain it's just because you asked him. If someone like me asked, a fellow demon, he would certainly see reason."

The Dark Knight was not to be deterred though. "People change, Selene. Though he was just as strong as you made him out to be, he wasn't exactly how you described him to be. We should consider him to be a great threat to our plans."

"Lies," Selene shouted at him. "I will hear no more of this! Do not pretend you understand us, human." Taking a moment to calm herself down, Selene continued, "I will prepare for the final Elemental. Once we have that, everything will fall into place." With that she left.

The Dark Knight sighed. Things were already tense enough as it was, and the added stress of being so close to achieving their goal wasn't helping. But he knew that they could work together and finish this. They would have to, for the sake of everything.


	19. The Road to the Future

_A/N: A little late update this week, but better late than never. I need sleep now, so enjoy this. Peace out readers. _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 19: The Road to the Future**_

* * *

It was late at night in the town of Pensee. Most activity had already stopped for the day save for the rowdy nature of the pub. The quiet shop, Recettear, had also closed its doors for the night, but for at least one of its occupants, the night was still far from over. Recette was sitting on the roof, gazing up at the stars that shone down from the clear night sky. Next to her was her now considered boyfriend, Louie.

Just yesterday they confronted each other with their feelings, confusion and awkwardness and all. And they agreed to try and see if a relationship between them would work. It would be hard on them both. Recette's constant maintenance of Recettear and Louie's own profession as an adventurer meant they would not be able to see each other on a personal basis often. Neither of them had also been in a real relationship before either, so there would be the struggle of figuring out how to plan future dates. The fact they were dating at all was something Louie could hardly believe.

For now though, they were content to sit on this rooftop, looking at the stars. Tomorrow Louie would be off again, providing protection to their mutual friends. Recette wished she could go with them, but she knew that her place was here for now. Though she had been getting better at using a blade, it was still nowhere near enough for her to consider putting herself at risk on the front lines. Louie could understand her desire to want to be strong, but he also still wanted to be the one who protected her. The knight in shining armor, a hero.

"The stars are always so pretty here," Recette said. "Sometimes I would beg my dad to let me stay up at night to watch them."

"Ah… yeah, is that right? Nights like these were kinda rare where I came from. The snow would fall all the time, even at night. But seeing the snowfall at night was also really exciting."

"Really? I'd like to see it sometime. Hey, maybe after all this is over we can go visit! I'd like to see your hometown one day."

"Sure. But you better pack warm clothes. It's usually really cold up there," Louie said. "It's been quite a while since I left. Who knows how much it's changed."

"Guess we'll have to find out together," Recette said. They both smiled, sitting in peace for the time being.

"Hey Recette… what happened to your mother?" Recette's body stiffened at that, and Louie quickly became flustered. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked…"

"It's ok," she said somewhat sad. "My mom… well, she was gone when I was really little. I don't really have a lot of memories of her, you know? There's not even any pictures of her, at least none I can find. Dad always took care of me, at least until he got into that whole adventuring thing." And that was truly how it had started. A desire of glory had only brought misfortune to the daughter left behind, who had to struggle through to make things work. Recette would never blame her father though. It wasn't like he knew what was to happen when he left.

Louie did feel anger though. He couldn't help but feel disappointed in the man who had been Recette's father. While he understood the desire for things like fame and wealth, he didn't believe it was right to have to force someone like Recette to endure all that she did just for that. He thought of the strange 'man' whom he and Recette met during their first trip through the Lapis Ruins. He was quite sure that he was Recette's father, and while it may have been somewhat comforting to know that the man was still alive, it was equally disheartening to know that he had still not yet returned home to the girl waiting for him.

Louie vowed he would never do such a thing to her. He would never give her a reason to cry.

"Well… I guess I should get some sleep. Everyone's going to be doing their best so I should to." Suddenly Recette looked shy, her face taking a light blush. Louie turned to ask what was wrong, but before he could say anything Recette quickly reached down and gave him a peck on the lips. He blushed as well, eyes widened in disbelief before Recette quickly said "Goodnight," and made her way back inside.

Louie sat there with a dumbstruck look on his face, before giving a goofy looking smile and bringing his hand to his lips. He was surprised, but no less pleased, by the small kiss they shared. It was a start, he realized, of just how serious they would be taking this relationship.

"Do not hurt her." Louie was brought out of his dazed state and turned to see Tear floating before him. She had a strange look on her face, one that Louie couldn't properly identify before she spoke again. "I know that isn't your intention. But that girl has never been through anything like this… and I worry for her."

Louie's face turned serious and he nodded. "I won't hurt her. I'll protect her no matter what."

Tear gave a sigh. "I know you will… she's all grown up now though. Makes me wonder if she still even needs me anymore."

"Of course she does," Louie said, picking himself up. "Even I can't protect her all the time. So when that happens, you have to be there for her too." Tear looked surprised, but smiled and nodded all the same. "I should get going… got a lot of things to do."

"Of course. Goodnight Louie… and come back soon. For her sake." The adventurer nodded and departed, leaving the fairy to her thoughts.

* * *

The next morning had seen the departure of several of their group. Elise and Chante were walking along the busy town square as people set about their early morning chores and preparing for the day. The young swordswoman thought about trying to find a client for a dungeon run in hopes of earning a bit more money. Though she carried plenty enough, she knew it wouldn't do to run out of Pix especially when she might need it the most.

"Man, what a rip off! We should be able to go too," Chante complained.

"Well, it's best we not travel too much. I'm rather hoping we can explore an easier dungeon today. Traveling in the Dark World was exhausting to say the least."

"Well, you got that right. That place is just plain creepy," Chante said shuddering. As she flew around, she noticed something interesting before her. "Hey, is that Elan?"

Elise looked surprised to see the older monk walking around, considering how he liked to stay up and drink. "You're right. Wonder where he's going this early… and is that a picnic basket?" Both sisters were surprised by it, but decided to simply ask him. "Hey, Elan!"

The monk turned around in surprise before smile. "Yo. Everything going well with you two?"

"We're doing good, thanks for asking."

"So, what do you got there," Chante asked, trying to look inside the basket. "You don't strike me as the type for things like picnics Elan."

"Ah… well, you see I kinda made a promise and I almost forgot about it. All the crazy stuff that's been happening around here, you know? Thankfully I was sure to have saved enough for this. You want to come with?"

"You sure? I wouldn't want to intrude," Elise said.

"It's fine. The more the merrier!" Elan turned and led the two to his destination. They looked surprised at seeing him lead them to a place called 'Pensee Orphanage', where several young kids could be seen playing out in the yard they had there. One of the kids looked up and saw him approach, giving a shout.

"Hey! Elan's back!"

"Elan's here! Yay!"

The group of kids rushed to Elan's side, bouncing about and hugging him all the while. Elise and Chante looked in wonder as Elan smiled and patted a few of the kids' heads. "Ok, ok, calm down. I promised I would bring something for you guys, right?" He held up the basket and opened it up, revealing several candies inside. The kids cheered and started to grab at them, causing Elan to laugh. "Haha, calm down! There's enough for everyone."

Elise couldn't help but smile at the scene. Elan certainly knew his way with kids. It seemed surprising that such a tough guy who could literally punch holes into monsters could play gently with such kids. "Wow, didn't think the big lug had it in him…"

"Oh wow, a fairy!" Elise and Chante were surprised when several kids began to crowd around them.

"Neat! Are you related to the fairy at the item shop?"

"Those wings are so pretty!"

"A cool sword! Are you an adventurer like Elan?"

Elise raised her hands in defense, a nervous smile on her face as she was swarmed. Elan was there to rescue her though. "Hey, don't gang up on her like that. Come on; pass out the candies to everyone. Make sure everyone gets one, okay?" The kids cheered and quickly made their way back to the others inside to share their treats. "Sorry about that. They get really excited."

"It's fine. But I didn't know you were so good with kids, Elan," Elise said.

"Well, I tend to visit this orphanage a lot. These kids don't have much, so I tend to do what I can to help them out. They really seem to like me too," he said smiling. "I guess I've always had a knack for this kind of thing. It's how I met Caillou after all."

"Yeah, that is weird. How did you meet that stuck up brat anyway," Chante asked.

"Well… Caillou also used to be a part of this orphanage too." Both sisters were surprised by that. "He doesn't like to talk about it much though. He was always a prodigy in magic, and once people started to take notice… well, he tends to avoid this place. He stopped playing with kids his age and buried himself in books. He forces himself to grow up and try to act like more of an adult than he is ready for. I try to talk to him about it, but he doesn't want to listen."

"I see…"

"Yeah, Caillou and I go back a bit… I suppose I'm the only one who he tolerates being around because of our history together. I want him to be more like a kid. You know, get a chance to play around and such because he isn't going to be a kid forever. But he's got no interest in that."

"Well, that still doesn't stop him from being a jerk."

"Chante…"

"What, it's true! That kid needs to stop acting all high and mighty all the time, before I bop some sense into him."

"Don't be too hard on him. He's got a lot to live up to, you know," Elan said. "He's gotten the respect of a lot of high class magic users from what I know. And those guys can be hard to please at times. I don't know too much about magic, but I got to say, those stuffy guys would probably love to see Caillou make a fool of himself. It can't be easy when a kid can show you up. So I've got to support him even if he doesn't want it."

Elise thought about it for a few minutes. While she did agree with her sister that Caillou had something of an attitude, she could also understand the pressure he was probably going through trying to gain the approval of people who had been doing this much longer than him. "You're a good friend, Elan."

"Heh thanks. I try anyway. Well, I do have a few things to take care of, so I'll see you two around, right?"

"Sure thing," Elise said smiling. Waving goodbye, the two parted ways.

"Well, that was interesting…"

"Yup. So let's work hard today as well." With that in mind, the two set off to the Adventurer's Guild, looking forward to the day and wondering how the rest of their friends would be faring.


	20. Journey on the Sea

_A/N: So, so, so, so, SO sorry that I didn't update last week. Things came up, then there was Mother's Day stuff and I ended up not finishing on time. So hopefully I will be able to make it up to you all sometime soon. In the meanwhile, enjoy the chapter update!  
_

_Malandy: Yup, cause we need some character development in this. As cool as all action is all the time, it can get boring if you don't reset the mood with those kind of segments. But back to the action we go!_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 20: Journey on the Sea**_

* * *

"Finally made it to Seasburry! Great, now let's find someplace with a bar and-."

"We need to charter a boat first before you start drinking Charme," Stella said. "Besides, don't you think it's a bit early to be out consuming alcohol?"

"Bah, it's never too early for good booze! Right Louie," Charme said, playfully elbowing his ribs.

"Hey, hey don't drag me into this…"

The group had arrived in Seasburry, the port that connected Dalmatia to the other countries of the Ragdoll Continent. Stella and Sana led the group to the docks, having been here once before when they arrived from Scotsholm. For the most part, Charme and Tielle had looked excited while Louie was simply curious. Caillou was the only one of them to look focused.

"I hope we have enough money… do they even accept Pix in Abyssinia," Caillou asked.

"I'm not sure. I've never been there myself. I'm sure you can trade it in for the local currency," Stella said.

"Wow, look, look," Tielle said running up to the port edge. "So much water!"

"Honestly… it's like Arche never left," Stella said while Sana gave an amused giggle. The water mage looked about and gasped before pointing to a man who was shouting orders to some people.

"Stella look! It's Mister Cliff!"

"Who?"

"Oh," Sana said somewhat embarrassed. "Um, when Arche and I were looking for a way to follow Griff, Mister Cliff was the one who helped us. Maybe he can help again."

"It's worth a shot," Louie said. The group made their way over to him as he was giving orders to what appeared to be his crew.

"Oy, old timer," Charme yelled out.

"Aye, I'm not old! I'm just 'weathered'," the man said turning about. "Ah? Aye, if it isn't the young lass," Cliff said recognizing Sana. "Where be your friend? Though I must say I'm impressed by your companions."

"Hello mister Cliff," Sana said bowing. "This is my other friend Stella. Arche's not here right now though. But what are you doing here?"

"Aye, I'm a man of the sea after all. When she calls, I must answer," he said good naturedly. "So, what can I help you with lass? I doubt you came just to say hello."

"We were wondering if you knew about an island somewhere in the Straits," Louie asked. Cliff looked surprised at this.

"Aye… I do lad. But I'm not sure I can help you there."

"What do you mean," Caillou asked.

"It's a bit of a tale… you see, a long time ago, I was out at sea with my crewmates, when suddenly a mysterious fog appeared, making us lose our way. We had hoped to sail out of it and get back on course, but then the weather made a turn for the worse. Our ship was battered and eventually sank. When I next awoke, to my surprise I found myself on an island. Any sailor would tell you there were no islands on the Straits, yet there I was. And on that island, I met him. The Guardian of the Seas."

"Guardian?"

"The Elemental King perhaps," Stella muttered.

"Well, I wasn't sure what it was. But it spoke to me, and gave me its blessings. I was able to build a raft and escape from that place, where I was found by some other ship. I never saw my old crew again after that and no matter how hard I searched I never could find that island again. I tried to tell people about it, but no one believed me. Aye, tis a sad thing when a sailor's word be doubted." Everyone looked concerned and apprehensive. It seemed they had a solid clue as to the whereabouts of the Elemental, but no means of actually getting there.

"Mister… Cliff was it," Tielle said. "We need to find a way to get to that island! You see, there's something important there that we just have to find."

"Sorry lass, I wish I could help ye with that. But I'm not sure what I can do."

"Can we at least try? There has to be a way," Sana said.

"Well… I suppose I could give it a spin. Though me crew will not like this one bit. I'm not sure I could house all of ye too to be honest."

"It's ok, you only need room for us three," Louie said patting Tielle and Sana on the head. "The rest of these guys are headed to Abyssinia."

"Well, I know of only one port in Abyssinia. Though, that place is… well, not exactly under Abyssinia control. It's a rough place outside of any kingdom's control. Headed there will definitely take you to Abyssinia but I'd worry about ye."

"A roughhouse huh? Sounds like fun," Charme said, cracking her knuckles with a smile on her face.

"Please be serious," Caillou said.

"Well, I definitely know someone who will take you there. Name's Vlad and I think he was mentioning about going sometime today," Cliff said. "If you hurry, you might be able to catch a ride with him."

"On it. Thank you for your assistance," Stella said with a curtsy.

"Don't mention it lass," Cliff said good naturedly. "Any friend of Sana and Arche is a friend of ol' Cliff here."

"Sana… will you really be ok," Stella said concerned for her friend.

"I'll be fine. Louie and Tielle will definitely make sure I'm ok."

"Got that right. No way can I let a damsel in distressed go unprotected," Louie said.

"We will be fine," Tielle said cheerfully. "Just be careful yourself. And make sure Caillou doesn't eat anything strange!"

"H-hey! You're one to talk miss only-eats-sweets," the young mage replied. "I'm surprised you even have teeth to begin with…"

"Ok, ok break it up you two," Charme said, dragging Caillou along. "See you soon, I hope Louie."

As the three headed out to their destination of finding a ship, Louie, Tielle and Sana turned to face the one that Cliff was loading up. "Alright lads, looking good! We got ourselves some passengers to ferry, so all hands on deck!"

* * *

The first day of sailing had produced nothing of note, not that anyone believed there would be something worth finding so soon. The second day had seen a bit more action though, with shark and jellyfish-like monsters roaming the waters. The crew thought of it an ill omen, as most monsters of the deep rarely showed themselves so close to the surface. Thankfully, bringing Tielle had been a huge blessing. The Archer had been able to fend off most of the monsters from even approaching the ship with her trusty bow. And those that did get close enough were felled by Louie's blade and Sana's magic. With the ship being safely defended, the crew carried on, wary but hopeful.

On the third day of sailing, Sana approached Cliff, who was guiding the ship steadily through the water. "Um… mister Cliff? You think we are going to be okay?"

"Of course lass," Cliff said with confidence. "Between you and me, I have a secret weapon to help us." Sana looked surprised and hopeful when Cliff reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a metal charm on a string. The metal was shaped into the image of an anchor and had a brilliant blue stone embedded into it. "I've had this lucky charm for as long as I've been a captain. It's been passed down from captain to captain, to ensure safe passage across the sea. Why, I figured that this thing was the only thing that saved me those many years ago."

Sana looked at it, examining it. Something about it felt familiar, but she couldn't place it. A voice from overhead however broke their concentration. "Oy, Capt.'s! Fog off the port side!" Both the man and girl turned to see the fog that was settled on the sea, blocking their view of whatever lay beyond. "Looks like trouble that way…"

"Aye, seems like we can't explore that area till it clears up." Sana was about to agree when she caught sight of the captain's charm. The gem on it was glowing softly; almost unnoticeable if one wasn't paying much attention. As Cliff was about to put it away Sana quickly stopped him, understanding what she was seeing.

"Wait! Mister Cliff, can I see your charm please?" Cliff looked surprised but handed her the charm all the same. Now that it was in her hands, she recognized the feeling of magic within and the pieces fell into place. The gemstone wasn't just a gemstone, but an Elemental Stone. And she had a feeling which one it was as well. "Mister Cliff, this is an Elemental Stone! It might be Aquinas!"

"What now? An Elemental Stone?"

"Yeah! I think… maybe I can use this…" Sana concentrated on the stone, feeling the magic within it. Suddenly a light shot out and headed straight into the fog. Both were surprised at what happened. "It worked! I think the Stone is telling us where to go!"

"All hands," Cliff shouted as he turned the wheel and redirected the ship. "Get ready! We're sailing into some rough seas ahead!"

"Captain, have you gone mad," the first mate said, a young man with blonde hair and lavender eyes said. "We can't sail in that, who knows what lurks there! Monsters might ambush us!"

"Well, that's what you got us for," came the voice of Tielle who had wandered over to see what the light was about. "Nice job Sana! So that's the power of one of those Elemental Stones huh? Great, now we definitely can find the Elemental King!"

"I'm not so sure about this," the first mate said, looking weary.

"Nonsense! I trust these adventurers and you should too," Cliff said. "Sana, keep doing whatever it is you be doing. Miss Tielle, tell that boy to be ready for anything!"

"Aye, aye captain," Tielle said with a flourish before rushing off to find Louie.

The ship made its way to the fog, entering swiftly into the unknown. The ever present mists made it nearly impossible to see more than a few yards ahead of them, and it would have been easy for them to have gotten lost without their knowing. The mysterious light emitting from the Elemental Stone, however, was able to help guide them to wherever it was that it was leading them to. Sana was certain that it meant finding the Elemental King, even if most of the ship's crew had thought finding the mysterious island in the Straits was a doomed prospect from the start.

For hours, nothing but the sounds of the waves hitting the boat could be heard. But Louie and Tielle, with plenty of experience under their belts as adventurers, could tell something was amiss. They were tensed and ready to react at a moment's notice.

Without warning, the ship was rattled by a strong impact, causing everyone to stagger and Sana to lose focus on the Elemental Stone, the light disappearing. "What in the name of the sea is that!?" One of the sailors pointed to a large tentacle that was rising out of the sea, poised to strike. "A giant monster…"

"The Legendary Kraken," Cliff wondered as the appendage reared back and attempted to strike at the deck of the ship. It suddenly twisted about in pain as it found itself lodged with arrows. Three more tentacles appeared, beginning to wrap around the ship, attempting to squeeze it to destruction. The hull of the ship began to creak as Louie slashed at one of the exposed appendages and Tielle fired arrows at another. Sana quickly found her ice spells ineffective so she settled on healing and shielding the others from harm.

The ship began to rock harder as the main body rose up, half a dozen eyes trained onto the ship as four more tentacles rose with it. "Doesn't this ship have any weapons on board?"

"Just one," Cliff said as he signaled for a crewmember to take his place at the helm. "I need to prepare it though! Hold out till then!" With that, he ran below deck.

"You heard him Louie! Let's go and eat some takoyaki after this!" Tielle fired more arrows at the beast, trying to prevent the monster from getting close.

Louie began to emit a powerful aura before swinging his blade. "Vacuum Cut!" The energy strike had been enough to cleave a tentacle clean off causing the monster to writhe in pain. Another painful scream let loose as an explosion suddenly went off in the beast's face. From below, Cliff had armed and fired the ship's only cannon at it. They had limited ammunition for it, but it would not go to waste.

"Hands off me ship ye scoundrel!" He fired another round causing the monster to wail again. Its limbs flailed about, one smashing against the deck of the ship severely damaging it before the creature vanished back into the murky depths. "Accursed… damage report," Cliff called out to his men.

"Looks pretty bad captain," the first mate called down to him. "The deck and hull seem to have taken quite the beating. Not sure how much longer she will last in open water like this." Cliff grimaced. There hardly seemed time to turn back now, but he knew that staying here wouldn't be an option. There was very little chance the ship could make it back to port, even if they didn't have a fog to navigate through. Cliff was about to issue an order when he noticed that said fog was starting to clear up. And then came the words that would save them all.

"Land! Off the starboard bow!"


	21. A Kingly Fight

_A/N: Once again, big thanks to everyone for sticking with me this far. Seriously, love all your support. More action time ahead!  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 21: A Kingly Fight**_

* * *

The sight of land had never been more glorious to them as the ship carrying Louie, Sana, and Tielle settled onto the beach. "Oh sweet ground, how I missed you so," Tielle said, hugging the sand. Louie merely gave a sigh while Sana giggled at the Elven girl's antics. Louie turned to Cliff who was overseeing the crew help secure the ship to the ground.

"So you think this might be the island we were looking for?"

"Most likely. We weren't near land when we got caught up in the fog and this place showing up when it did… well, we'll have to explore this place to be sure, but I have a good feeling." Louie turned away to gaze at the forest that was growing just beyond the beach. Somewhere out there the Elemental King lay in wait. But they couldn't go searching just yet. The sun was starting to set and getting lost in the forest at night was a bad thing. For now they would have to spend one more night on the ship before they looked.

The next morning had Cliff and his first mate join the three on their trip into the forest, hopefully to find the Elemental King and perhaps some food. Though they had enough provisions to last about a week at sea for everyone, the impromptu battle against the Kraken had damaged the ship and they would need to repair it to the best of their abilities while on the island. Though they carried some tools to help with the job, without a proper dock and professional equipment it would take a while to fix everything up to sea worthy sailing.

Cliff led the way, relying on his memories of his first time landing on this island to help guide them. Along the way they found several fruit trees, but little wildlife, mostly rabbits. After nearly two hours of walking, they came across a rather large lake of crystal clear water. Tielle jumped for joy and rushed to the water's edge, dipping her hands down to drink from it. "Careful Tielle, we don't know what's in it."

"It should be ok," Sana said. "My Elemental Stone is telling me that the water is safe to drink." Sana also stepped forwards when she stopped, feeling a strong energy around them. "Wait… something is here!"

The moment she spoke, the water in the lake began to glow, causing Tielle to panic and step back. A giant, serpent-like body rose out of it, looking much too big to have fit inside the lake without it being seen. Light blue scales adorned its body, its face distinctly dragon-like. It rose up high above them before looking down upon the group. _**"Who dares to disturb me in my sacred domain?"**_

Everyone panicked for a moment, before Cliff stepped forwards. "It be you… the Guardian of the Sea. We meet again."

The water dragon looked at the old captain before nodding. _**"It seems you have once again managed to enter my realm. Though I do not recall inviting you or your… guests."**_

"Um," Sana began, mustering all the courage she had, "you are the Elemental King of Water right? Legeas?"

"_**So you know of me… I cannot sense evil ambitions in you, so what have you come to speak of me about?"**_

"The other Elemental Kings," Louie began. "Their powers have all been stolen by someone. You are the only one who is left. We came because we were concerned and to let you know of what's happening."

"_**I am well aware of the plight of my brothers,"**_ Legeas said. _**"I am connected to all water, the life-giver. The events of the past seek to repeat themselves. But you have come for nothing. So long as I remain here, I cannot be found, let alone targeted."**_

"Then maybe you can help us find out who is behind everything? At the very least, if you could lend us some of your strength to save the others…" Tielle started to say.

Legeas interrupted her. _**"No."**_ Everyone was shocked by the blunt response. _**"Though we are all required to maintain the balance, I am even more so important to that. Water is the life-blood that sustains all living things on this world. I cannot risk anything happening to me in order to continue to do my duty. You already have the Elemental Stone connected with me in your possession, which is how I assume you managed to find me in the first place. That will be enough."**_

Sana wanted to say something, but she was unsure what. Tielle however had no reservations in speaking. "You have to help us! Ignus and Eolia are also doing what they can to help. Don't be selfish!"

"Tielle, maybe you shouldn't…"

"_**Silence, Elf. You do not wish to test the limits of my patience,"**_ Legeas said, glaring at her. _**"See reason. The only way I can do anything of help is to stay here, away from human eyes. Keeper of my Stone,"**_ he said, facing Cliff, _**"I will trust that you speak of this to no one. I will ensure that you have safe passage back to your lands, but you will not seek me out again."**_

"You have to be kidding me," Louie said. "Are you really-?"

"Aye, I can agree to that," Cliff said, surprising everyone. "We tell no one. But our ship needs some repairs and new supplies. As soon as it's fixed, we be sailing away. Till then, I request you let us stay on this island."

"_**Agreed."**_

"Great. Now what do we do? Did we really come here for nothing," Louie complained.

"I wouldn't say 'nothing'," Cliff's first mate had said, having been quiet this whole time. "In fact, I think all this guy needs is the right… motivation. Like this!" Black flames erupted from his body, surprising everyone. They pulled back and when the flames died down, a figure in dark armor covering his body was in the man's place. "Your lies are quite convincing, Elemental King Legeas. But it will take more than that to fool me."

"Lies," Sana questioned.

"You! You're that Dark Knight Elan was talking about," Louie said brandishing his sword.

"Aye, what have you done to me First Mate?"

"He should be resting up in port. I only knocked him out and took on his form with a little help from some magic," the Dark Knight said. "When I saw you three at the port, and figured out what you were planning, I knew the best chance of getting to where the Elemental King was hiding was to follow you. I thank you for your assistance to our plans."

"_**It is you who are the foolish one! I was waiting for you to reveal your true nature, abomination!"**_ The Elemental King opened its jaws, as a rush of Elemental energy gathered into its mouth. The mortals who were near, even Louie and Cliff who had little experience with magic, could feel the power of the strike the Elemental King was about to unleash. Legeas launched the sphere at the Dark Knight, but it didn't get far before being disrupted by a barrier. _**"What!? What sorcery is this?"**_

"Ah, ah, none of that now. We can't have you interrupting a sword fight." Everyone but the Dark Knight looked surprised at the sound of the voice, as a magic circle appeared and a young female stepped out of it. "Well, well, if it isn't the crybaby of the group. Seems you girls just have to keep getting in my way no matter where I go."

"The Dark Witch," Sana exclaimed.

"Great, just one after another," Tielle complained.

"Selene, hurry and do what you must. I will ensure that it goes uninterrupted," the Dark Knight said, drawing on his sword.

"I hope you don't think you can stop us," Louie said, readying himself. "Captain, get back to the ship! We can handle these two!"

"Aye… for your sake, keep safe!" Cliff turned and ran intent on warning the rest of his crew what was happening. The other three prepared for battle, Sana holding her staff and Tielle readying her arrows.

The Elf struck first, ignoring the Dark Knight completely in favor of trying to skewer the Dark Witch. Selene simply passed through her barrier that separated them from the Elemental King leaving the arrows to strike against it harmlessly and drew on her magic to ready the ancient spell that would drain the King of his power. The Dark Knight chose that moment to charge in; Louie rushing in as well as they met with a clash of blades. Both seemed equally matched, but one could tell that Louie was straining everything he had just to match the Knight's strength.

A torrent of water pushed the Knight away and gave Louie some breathing room, compliments of Sana. She followed it up with several ice spells, to which the Knight smashed them with his blade. Tielle refocused on him, unleashing her arrows at the joints in his armor where it was weakest. He moved subtly however, which allowed them to merely bounce off the thicker pieces and leave him unharmed. Louie took that moment to charge in on the offensive, his aura becoming active.

The two swordsmen clashed, Louie faring much better this time around. Blade met blade as they swung with all their might, the two not giving the other an inch. Every opening Louie found he struck, chipping away at the armor the Dark Knight wore. Every opening the Knight found was blocked by Louie's shield, though he had come dangerously close to cutting open the young swordsman's chest.

As that battle raged, another between the Dark Witch and the Elemental King was building. Legeas shot volley after volley of water spheres at the Dark Witch who used her own electrical ones to counter. All the while, she continued to prepare her spell, as several magic circles began to appear around the Water King. It would take some time to set up, but she knew the moment that it was complete it would be over. She just had to last until then.

Which was harder than it looked, considering that she had to divert magic power from her task to set up barriers to prevent the Elemental King from striking her. The barrier around them both wouldn't fade until she was knocked out, so she had no worries from being attacked from behind so long as the Dark Knight continued to keep them from having to divert even more energy to upkeep it. Legeas unleashed a wave of water at her, which she pushed aside.

A cry of pain from Louie as he was knocked back only brought a smile to Selene's face. Sana was quickly healing up a large cut on Louie's leg, while Tielle was standing between them and the Dark Knight. She fired several arrows into the air, as they came raining down as pure energy. The Knight quickly dodged, but made no move towards them. His blade was still out and ready to cut them down should they attack. "It's no good… nothing we do is working."

"No, he's definitely tiring out," Louie said, keeping his eyes on the Knight and testing his leg. It felt like it would hold his weight, so he readied himself again. "Even the smallest effort will work! We have to wear him down."

"I will admit, your skill with a sword is good. But it is not good enough," the Knight said, raising his sword and slamming it down onto the ground. "Earth Breaker!" The ground seemed to shatter at the force, as the earth upturned and a wave of energy behind it sped towards the group.

"Shield!" Sana quickly cast her magic, wincing as the force of the attack broke through her shield and knocked her back. Thankfully, most of the damage had been absorbed by the spell, but it still dazed her for a moment. "What power..."

An unearthly screech filled the air, as the three looked to see several magic circles binding the Elemental King. They could only watch, horrified as they saw the Elemental King's power being stripped before them. His energy was breaking away from him, receding into a sphere above Selene's hands, gathering and pooling there until it solidified into a light blue orb. The Elemental King crashed backwards into the water, becoming still as the barrier around them dispersed. Selene collapsed onto the ground not long after, sweat on her brow and her breathing struggled as the spell had taken its toll on her.

"No! Were we too late," Tielle said worriedly. Louie didn't think about answering that, merely rushing towards the Dark Witch, eyes aimed at the orb. Something within him told him that if he could only get to it, everything could still be saved.

Unfortunately, the Dark Knight had seen him move and intercepted, knocking Louie away and onto the ground, the swordsman losing his grip on his blade as it went flying off away from them. Louie quickly struggled to get back up, intent on fighting even without his trusty sword, when he felt the naked edge of a blade on his neck. "Careful. One false move and you'll soon find out just how long you can stay aware of having your head removed from your body." Louie froze, gritting his teeth. Tielle had readied an arrow, but seeing Louie's predicament had stopped her from firing. "Now… unless you want your friend to die, you will allow us to leave this place. We have no more business with you."

None of them wanted to let them get away, but with Louie's life on the line, they knew that they would have to let them go. Losing Louie would serve no purpose in the long run considering they would likely escape anyway. The Dark Knight waited until Selene was up, looking a bit worse for wear, but otherwise doing well enough. He twisted his blade and struck Louie in the back of his head with the flat of it, knocking him out cold. Backing off, Selene quickly spoke a spell that would teleport them away from this place. The orb that contained the power of the Elemental King was firmly in her grasp.

"Nice try, heroes… but it's all over for you," Selene taunted. "Soon, the rise of the demons will be at hand!" With that they teleported away. Once they were gone, Tielle and Sana quickly raced to Louie to provide treatment. They tried to focus solely on the task at hand and not the sickening feeling of the fact that the last of the Elemental Kings' powers was in the hands of their enemies. Which meant that Ignus's warning would eventually come to pass.

The collapse of the world…


	22. The Desert's Fire

_A/N: And here we are... updated this without thinking cause I was running late. Accursed Internet connections... Anyway, more adventuring stuff that might seem boring but necessary. I can imagine though that it would be much more exciting if put into an actual game so you can do all the actions yourself and stuff. Anyway, big reveals coming up soon. We are approaching the climax, but not to worry. There are going to be plenty of big fights in the near future!  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 22: The Desert's Fire**_

* * *

The Rouge's Hideaway, a tavern in the port town of Minn on the edge of the Abyssinia Kingdom. It was a place where the rowdy and rough would come after time at sea to unwind and make banter with others. It wasn't uncommon for things like bar fights, swears and booze to run freely here without anyone batting an eye. What was uncommon was the fact that three people who clearly looked out of place were sitting at a table, waiting for food.

Stella was looking around nervously, half expecting someone to try and start a fight with their group. Caillou was quietly reading a book he had brought, intent on ignoring everything else unless it required his immediate attention. And Charme was right at home, a pint of ale in her hand as she lounged and enjoyed the atmosphere. The three had just arrived in port after several days of traveling at sea. Though they had left roughly the same time as Cliff had taken the other half of the group, they had a clear destination in mind and thus spent three days at sea quickly crossing. It would normally have taken longer due to monster presence, but the three had ensured that no monster would be slowing them down on the trip. Thus what normally took a five day trip was cut down to three.

The group had thus decided to rest up and get a good meal in before they made their way. Much of Abyssinia was covered in desert and thus they would need to be ready for the trek. Still, while Charme was definitely in her element, Stella would have rather gone to a better place for their meal. Charme insisted however, and being the oldest one in the group meant that she had more or less most of the decision-making power in her hands.

"Here you are, three seafood specials," the waitress said as she came with their meals. Setting the plates down before them, she gave a smile. "So, what brings you all here? You certainly don't look like sailors."

"We're heading to the capitol of the kingdom," Stella said. "Though I don't suppose you know anyplace that sells clothes for fitting for such a trip?"

"Well… I do know one place, but I doubt you'd need it. Lots of travelers are saying that the desert is losing its heat. Weird, don't you think? Who ever heard of a desert that wasn't hot?"

"Indeed, that is strange to think," Caillou said, wondering if it had to do with the weakened Elemental power. Indeed, Stella had already witnessed something similar before, when she and her classmates had gone on a field trip to a hot springs resort. The town had been located next to an inactive volcano, but despite this there were cold winds blowing.

"Well, that makes our trip a lot easier then," Charme said, digging into her meal. "Though a desert does sound like the place to find what we are looking for."

"Oh, you're going to the Great Pyramid then? It's quite an attraction to be honest. It's one of Abyssinia's Three Great Landmarks. People have been puzzled by that place for years. Apparently the way into it has been sealed for centuries, or so the rumors say. Anyway I'll leave you to enjoy."

"Sounds like we know where to start our search," Caillou said.

* * *

True to the waitress's words, the desert wasn't that hot when they began to cross it. Even Caillou found it bearable wearing his robes. It would take at least two days to reach the capitol city, though it would probably only take a day to reach the Great Pyramid. Thankfully they had prepared for this occurrence. There were almost no settlements within the desert save for a wandering group of nomads, and there was no guarantee they would find them for shelter in the night.

The monsters would be another story. Many of them were scorpion-like beasts with venomous stingers, though the occasional slimes and vulture-like ones would appear. Most of the monster hid under the sands, popping up when they could surround the group, though they fell fast to their combined efforts. Stella took the opportunity to observe Caillou and his magical talents. She was quite surprised by how effortlessly he seemed to be casting spells, and their wide effects. She had never borne witness to an actual magician, one that could freely use magic without the power of the Elemental Stones. She supposed that it was because Elemental Stones made magic a much more commonplace sight in the Ragdoll Continent that true magicians were a rarity.

Charme's skills had not slouched since the last time they fought together, her dexterous movements enabling her to dodge and weave through attacks to get close enough to land hits on her own. Stella had found that her fire spells had almost no effect on these beasts, so she was resorting to her dagger to help her fell enemies. Most of them weren't too tough though the sheer numbers had her worried at times. Thankfully Stella had also been training a bit while Arche had gone to the Tower and Dark World. Charme had been glad to teach her some of the finer points in dagger usage. As a result, they barely needed their medical supplies and anti-venoms, though Caillou took some drinks to help recover his magical strength.

Night began to fall, so they set up their tents and started up a campfire. Charme offered to keep watch the entire night, saying that 'kids should get their sleep'. Thankfully as a thief, Charme was used to working late nights and in low vision, meaning they would be safe from monster attacks. As they rested up, Stella took the opportunity to talk to Caillou. "Say, Caillou… how long have you been able to do magic?"

"Hm? I don't know… a few years now? I was studying a magic crystal when my power started to act up. From there I kinda just learned as I went."

"Really? I'm sure your parents must be quite proud of your accomplishments."

"I guess so… I wouldn't know. I lived in Pensee's orphanage my whole life. I never knew who my parents were, if they are even still alive. I can only imagine they were some big names in the magical community considering the amount of power I tend to possess." Stella seemed shocked at that. She knew that he was quite advanced for his age, and having been used to not having her own parents around, she had assumed it was something of a similar situation with him.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't worry about it," Caillou said. "I've gotten over that a long time ago. Elan helped with it."

"That does beg to ask, how did you two meet?"

"Well, Elan just hung around the orphanage a lot… and he was the only one who didn't always treat me like a kid. I mean, I'm a mage, I deserve the respect I get," he muttered angrily. "Elan was the one who convinced me that I should try to follow that path. He was my biggest supporter when I decided that I would try my hand at being an adventurer."

"I would have thought you'd spend most of your time with books or at least head to some famed academy or something," Stella said, somewhat curious.

"Oh I did, for a while anyway. But I found that a more hands-on approach to my studies would be better for me. It also helps me to gather rare ingredients for studies without having to resort to some other… unsavory methods. But tell me more about these Elemental Stones. I've only heard rumors about stabilizing Magic Crystals for use by people. Everyone in Dalmatia tends to rely on their natural magical abilities."

"Yes, well… I can only assume that it's because not many people in Scotsholm can actually use magic without their help. They resonate with a person's innate magical ability locked within them and help draw it out. A catalyst for spells and such. Of course, every Elemental Stone represents a different element and thus limits what kind of spells a person can use. Natural magicians like yourself get a much broader range of magic from the start."

"I see," he said, looking over the Elemental Stone she had on her. "So anyone can theoretically use any kind of Elemental Stone?"

"Well, yes, in theory anyway. Most people have a certain draw to one particular type of Element and mostly use that. But I suppose if you were to have one of every type of Elemental Stone with you, you could use them all. You just wouldn't be as good in some elements as you are in others."

Charme watched the exchange with a bit of a smile on her face. She was glad that Caillou could make a friend with someone closer to his age, even if it was just talking about boring subjects that she cared little about. Maybe it would mean that he would be a little less stuck-up in the future.

* * *

"Ok, here we are! The Great Pyramid," Charme said, as the three approached the towering structure. It had been easy to spot being in the middle of the desert, with a small tent nearby that had a merchant selling supplies. Entering, they walked down a corridor to the next room, a spacious place with many stairways leading up to a higher level. Near the back of the room, they noticed they were not alone here.

"Professor, perhaps we should reconsider our position here…"

"Nonsense! I came here to discover the secrets of this pyramid and I will find them, or my name isn't Dr. Gilfreed Hanzor!"

"Um, excuse me…" Both men turned from the mural they were staring at to see they had company. "Who are you guys," Charme asked.

"What is this? Children shouldn't be in a place like this! It's dangerous you know."

"What," Stella yelled. "I'll have you know that I am Stella Mayberk, heir to the Mayberk company and-."

"Cease your ramblings child. You are interrupting important work," the doctor said, turning back to the painting. "This language is at least two thousand years old. But this structure had to have been built within the last millennia! It makes no sense!"

"How rude!"

"Sorry, please forgive the doctor," the other man said. "He gets a bit… passionate about these things. My name is William. I am the doctor's assistant."

"I'm Charme, and these are Stella and Caillou," the thief said.

"I see you also have been entranced by the mysteries of this place. Unfortunately, no one has ever solved the riddles of the pyramid. The doctor seeks to be the first one."

"And it will happen, mark my words," the doctor said, running his hands over the painting. The three stepped forward to get a better look at it. It depicted several people in worship, bowing before what looked like a large dragon. The dragon's mouth was open and there was a small depression that looked like something could be placed there. All around it were the markings that were writing of the ancients. Stella felt she had seen something similar before, but was unsure where.

"Doctor, perhaps we should surrender for now. We've been at this for days now, and we haven't gotten any closer to unraveling the mystery."

"Nonsense! I've already deciphered a few key words here. A little more and I'm sure the answer to the path will be opened!"

"What kind of key words," Caillou asked.

"Bah, you cannot expect me to trust mere children with the riddles of the ancients!"

"Try them," Charme said, shrugging. "What have you got to lose?"

The doctor grumbled, but ran his fingers over some of the text. "Let's see here… 'Heed now… Fires from the heavens… Symbol of the Great One.' I know it must have something to do with this image!"

The three of them looked to the image, thinking about what the words might mean. "Hey Stella… what does the Elemental King of Fire look like anyway?"

"I'm not sure. My mother told me stories about him, but I'm not sure there was a description in all of them."

"You think this dragon might be the Elemental King then," Charme asked Caillou.

"It would make sense," the young mage said. "From what you told me, the Earth Elemental King said that people used to worship and live with the Elementals once. It's not implausible to think whoever built this place did so in honor of one of the Kings. And if Algorn really is here, it would make even more sense."

"Then the writing… is Renorian?" Looking closely again, Stella was able to see that the writing did have some resemblance to the one found on the ancient tablets that Arche had found when she first discovered her Elemental Stone. "Ah!" Stella walked up to the two explorers. "I think I have a means of opening it."

"Opening?"

"Stand aside, if you will," she said with authority as she removed her Elemental Stone from its place on her bracelet and placed it within the dragon's mouth. She was surprised to find it fit perfectly and there was a rumbling as the wall began to divide down the middle and open up. She quickly retrieved her stone and set it back where it belonged, watching with pride at the astonished expressions on the doctor and assistant's faces. "There we are."

"Amazing! Come William, the mystery deepens!" The doctor quickly ran through the doorway, leaving his assistant to follow.

"A 'Thank you' would have been nice," Stella yelled after them, huffing in displeasure. "Honestly, the nerve of that man…"

"Way to go though! We should hurry ahead too." The three headed in and soon found a staircase leading down, rather than up. Heading down, they were surprised to find themselves assaulted by venomous cobras and scorpions. They quickly did battle, clearing the room of monsters with ease. As they stepped into the next room, they found the duo of doctor and assistant looking over a closed door. The door had the image of what looked like the Elemental King of Wind, Eolia, on it.

"Blast, another mystery," the doctor said.

"What's going on," Caillou asked.

"Ah you guys followed… seems we are stuck again," William said. "Apparently, you need to speak the password to open this door."

"It says, 'Speak the ancient words of Power.' But I can't think of what that means or even a hint as to what the words are," the doctor said, shaking his head.

"Hey, that marking. Doesn't that look like that Chiffon Elemental always hanging around your friend," Charme pointed out.

"Yeah, the resemblance is pretty good…"

"In that case, the answer is obvious," Stella said, walking up to the door. "Unison!" At the shout, the door began to open, leading them further into the chamber. "So much for that."

"Incredible! Come, we must hurry!" The doctor once more sped off with his assistant trailing behind. The three quickly made to follow them.

"You know, something about this all is… unsettling."

"What makes you say that Stella," Charme asked.

"Well… these ruins are at least from the time of when Renoria was still around. But the Elemental Stones have only been around for at least three hundred. So how could these barriers be here?"

"It's possible someone could have added them at some point," Caillou said. "You think Minasa-Ratis did so?"

"I suppose it is possible…" They were stopped by the next puzzle, surprised that they hadn't run into any monsters. "What this time?" What they saw was another mural, though it looked incomplete. Once more, a group of people who were bowing before a figure, this time one that Charme and Stella recognized as the Elemental King of Earth. Beneath that figure was a missing piece, a rectangular shape that looked to be able to be put there.

"It seems we need to put the appropriate tablet in the space. Unfortunately, there is no writing to indicate which tablet to place… and no tablets to place in the first place," the doctor said.

"There appear to be other routes. Perhaps there is a way further in through them," the assistant said.

"No, no… the correct path is this way, I'm sure! Perhaps the tablets we need are in those paths." The doctor turned to the two possible paths. "You three! Explore that path, and see what you can find," he said pointing to the right path. "Come assistant!" The doctor turned to the left path and walked through it.

"I swear the nerve of that man. Thinking he can just order us around," Stella said.

"Well, we might as well check it out. No sense in wondering about it," Charme said. "Man, there is nothing worth stealing in this place though…"

"This is a sacred place of worship to the Elementals and all you can think about is making money," Caillou asked with disdain. "I understand you are a thief, but have some morals about it!"

"Hey, a girl's gotta eat. I for one do not want to be in the kind of debt that Louie and Elan get into at the bar."

"That's hardly fair… it would take at least three Louie's to get into the kind of debt Elan gets into…"

Traveling down the path had new enemies to fight, including mummy-like ones that moved slowly and were easily burned down by Stella's fire magic. The Harpies they encountered were too speedy for Charme, though Caillou's Gemini spell made excellent work of them. At the end of the path, they found a tablet, showcasing a large crystal. The three took it, before heading back. Once there, they saw the two with a tablet of their own, featuring clouds. "I take it you found something?"

"Now listen here you! No one speaks to me in such a manner," Stella said angrily. "What makes you think you can boss us around?"

The doctor looked to her in slight confusion. "So… did you find anything?"

"HMPH!" Stella gave a significantly unladylike grunt of disappointment. Charme merely sighed before producing the tablet they found. Charme walked over and placed the tablet into the depression. She remembered seeing the multitude of magic crystals from her trip into the Lapis Ruins and knew this one was the correct choice. Once it was in, the pathway to the next chamber was revealed. The group walked ahead and down another flight of stairs before coming to a large, spacious room.

"I feel we are close! Can you feel it William?"

"I feel like I'm being watched…"

"Same and it's not a good feeling," Charme said, readying her daggers. Stella's Elemental Stone began to shine a few moments before a jet of flame came rushing at them from the darkness. Everyone panicked and tried to back off before Stella's arm that had her bracelet on it rose up against her will. The Elemental Stone flashed a red light before a shield surrounded them and prevented the fire from damaging them.

The group looked surprised by this before a huge figure that towered over them appeared. Its image was the same as the first mural a large red dragon with a great wingspan. It let out a roar that seemed to shake the room, turning its golden eyes on the intruders. "Everyone, run!" Both doctor and assistant ran, and as they cleared the doorway, the wall sealed shut behind them. The other three stared down the dragon without fear.

"Elemental King Algorn… the one who granted his power to the Royal Scarlet."


	23. The Answer They Sought

_A/N: Had a lot of fun writing this one. We are ever closer to the finish line. Here's hoping I can make it to 100k words.  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 23: The Answer They Sought**_

* * *

"_**So you have come… at long last, child of Fire."**_ Algorn stared down at the three. He had paid no attention to the others who had left and sealed the way into the room to ensure they would not return. It was clear to him what they were after and he would not grant them that. His gaze shifted to the other two with Stella, but he sensed that they were companions to her and thus left them be. _**"I have been waiting for you."**_

"You have," Stella asked surprised, while Charme and Caillou looked to each other in confusion. "But how did you know I would even come?"

"_**I have dealt with many of your kind since you have been entrusted with my gift from so long ago. When your predecessor came to me, I knew that you would eventually follow."**_

"My… wait, you mean my father!? Is he here?"

"_**Yes. I will show you." **_The dragon concentrated for a moment, before a sphere of energy floated from out of the darkness. Within was a figure of a man, floating as if suspended in water, arms and legs dragged down by their weight. Stella gasped at seeing him, her eyes filled with tears.

"What in the world happened to him," Caillou asked.

"_**He was injured, defending me from one who sought to take my power. Though his efforts were in vain… even now, it is taking all I have to keep him in this stasis and preventing his wounds from overtaking him. It is the most I can do for now to repay his help."**_

"So… father came here for you after all. But then, he must have known something was wrong," Stella said. But the big question was how did he know, and why did he think he had to go and do something like this by himself?

"Can you remove him from the stasis," Charme asked, reaching into their supplies and getting the medical herbs and bandages. "I think we can give him some emergency treatment. Help me out Caillou." The dragon nodded, setting the body down and removing the barrier around him. The three couldn't help but grimace. It was hard to tell earlier, but the wounds he had were much worse looking now that he was closer. Burns covered his chest and arms, mingled with various deep cuts. It looked like some of the worse ones had been cauterized though they couldn't tell if it was the dragon's doing or something else.

Charme and Caillou instantly went to work on him, while Stella could only gaze somewhat horrified. She could only imagine that he had gotten in a fight against the Dark Knight, which would have explained the cuts. But had the Dark Witch also helped in hurting him? Her father was no pushover, she knew that. But even Griff and Elan together could not defeat the Knight, and from what she had witnessed of them in the brief time she knew them, they were both very strong.

"_**Young one."**_ Stella turned to the dragon to see that he possessed a ball of flame in one of his claws. _**"Heed the flames… they have a message for you."**_ The dragon held the fire before her. Unsure of what to do, Stella took her hands and held them carefully to scoop up the flames. She was surprised by the fact that they did not hurt her. But that was blown away by the fact that a voice was now coming out of the flames. And one she recognized.

"_Stella… if you are listening to this, then it means I have failed. I had sensed long ago that the Elemental power of this world was starting to weaken, and sought to try and find a solution. I have come here, to Algorn's side, in order to discover the truth. I placed my company in good hands, and hoped that I would one day reclaim it and pass it on to you officially. Though it may be that fate had other plans._

"_You have many questions, I am sure… our family, the Mayberk family, has long been entrusted with the power of Royal Scarlet. We were chosen by Minasa-Ratis herself to bear the burdens that come with safeguarding the Elemental King's power within the stone. With the peace we had endured, I had thought our time in keeping the secret of the stone was over. I thought we no longer needed to keep a close watch on it. So I used it as a wedding gift for your mother. When she fell ill and you inevitably inherited it… I prayed that the destiny tied to the stone would never befall you. That you could live your life free of that burden. Perhaps that was just a foolish man's thinking._

"_If you truly are listening to this… then Royal Scarlet's destiny is being fulfilled. For now, I can only give you what I know to help guide you along the path. Ultimately, the choice will be yours. But you are my daughter… and knowing your mother, it would seem obvious what you will choose. I can only hope that you will not have to face this alone._

"_I was not able to discover much… only that the Elemental Kings are being targeted and that if their powers are fallen, the world will be in grave danger. Removing the power is not enough. It simply takes the Elemental power out of the control of the Kings. And while this alone is enough to cause catastrophe, the power is being completely removed from this world. It lies now within a place known as the Dark World. I cannot imagine what sorts of horrors might await there. But the power must be returned to the world as soon as possible, before the damages become irreversible._

"_I know not where in the Dark World it resides… nor do I believe that the ones who came to take Algorn's power are working alone. I sense a greater being behind them, lurking in the shadows and puppeteering their movements. I have no idea who might be able to do such a thing though._

"_Stella… I pray that you never have to hear this… but if you are listening now… I want you to know… I am so proud of you, my daughter… and… I will… always… lov…"_

Stella watched the flames, tears streaming down her face. Even when the fire went out, the last of the message passed on, she stared at her hands in shock and sadness. She quickly wrapped her arms around herself and willed herself not to cry any longer. She had to be strong. She had a duty to fulfill. At long last, she knew the truth behind the Elemental Stone. The stone that had been her mother's gift and last link to her in this world. And the generations of her family who had pledged their lives to protecting Minasa-Ratis's legacy.

_And now, it's my turn,_ she thought, wiping away the tears. She took a few shuddering breathes and collected herself. She was a Mayberk for magic's sake; she would not let this be the end of her. Her father would live through this, and she would make him proud by completing the mission he had tried to take on himself.

"_**That was all I was able to record before placing him in stasis to preserve his life. I admit, he was rather intelligent for a human… and I trust you will be taking his place then?"**_

"Yes," she said determined. "King Algorn… I… thank you for protecting him. I can never repay this debt to you for that," she said bowing down.

"_**Return to me my former strength, and I will consider this debt repaid. You are very much like your ancestors… I had always mistrusted humans ever since what had happened to us thousands of years ago. But your family… they persistently visited my domain. They too, believed in that woman's vision and sought to repair the relationship between us Elementals and yourselves. I can only hope that your descendants will continue this."**_

"Okay," Charme said, wiping the sweat off her brow. "I think with this he's out of immediate danger. But we should still get him to a proper clinic for rest and treatment. There's only so much we can do with medicine in the field after all."

"Thank you, both of you," Stella said with a smile. "I mean it, from the bottom of my heart."

"Of course! I'll be sure to send you the bill for-OUCH!" Charme lifted her and held onto it, rubbing it from where Caillou had forcefully jabbed his staff.

"What she means to say is, 'Your welcome'," he said.

"Hey, what happened to respecting your elders, brat!"

"I'll respect you when you do something worthy of being respectful, aside from ordering the most drinks in an hour!"

"I'll have you know that even Elan was impressed by the number!"

Stella couldn't help it, and started to giggle at their actions. She was glad Arche wasn't here, though she might not have minded. With her father going to be okay, a great weight had been lifted from her. She felt lighter than before.

This was why her scream of terror came as a surprise when black flames appeared before her and a pitch black Eyebat emerged from them. Stella readied her flames in response, yelling "What in the world!? How did this get here?"

"Wait," Caillou said, stopping Charme from unleashing her dagger. "That's one of Griff's Eyebats! Griff must have a message for us." The three of them surrounded the Eyebat. And a voice emerged from it…

* * *

Recette hummed a small tune as she swept up the floor of her shop. The shop was closed for lunch, but Recette felt like she could get a decent amount of sweeping done before actually getting something to eat. Nearby, Tear was dusting some of the higher shelves, focusing on her task. She too was in high spirits, as the shop recently managed to take an advantage on a popularity boom with books, namely the 'Wings of Eldon' series (Which Recette was secretly a fan of and currently on the third book). With a good amount of profit for the shop, they could now afford some leeway in what they spent. Not that Tear would advertise that to Recette, for fear that she would decide to make some outrageous purchase.

The door opened with a jingle and Recette turned to the person who entered. "Sorry, the shop is closed for lunch, come back- Oh! Elise, Chante, welcome!"

"Hey Recette," Chante said smiling. "We thought you might like some company for lunch, so how about we go together?"

"That sounds lovely," Tear said. "Though I trust you won't be expecting us to pay for your meals too."

"Oh come on, must everything be about money to you," Chante said huffing up. "It's just food!"

"Now, now Chante," Elise said. "It would be rude to expect them to pay when we have money ourselves. Will Arche be joining us?"

"Oh, I should ask," Recette said, putting away her broom. "She's upstairs with Eolia right now. Chiffon seems to like talking to him quite a bit."

"I heard!" Arche came bounding down the steps, stopping just short of colliding with Elise. "And nailed the landing! I'm getting better at this Chiffon!"

"Foo… good practice," the wind elemental said.

"I'm glad to see you are already getting stronger." The three girls turned to the sound of Griff as he entered the shop. "Unfortunately, I cannot share your enthusiasm."

"Griff, what in the world happened to you," Recette said worriedly. Griff's clothing was in tatters and there were various cuts all over his body. He looked exhausted, as though he had been working out for hours without rest.

"This? Just flesh wounds, I assure you," the half-demon remarked, seemingly unconcerned.

"You should be more careful Mr. Griff," Arche said. "But… what did happen? Why are you all beat up like that?"

"My investigations into the Dark World and the Demons have borne fruit. This is but a small price to pay, but the news I bring isn't good. It seems Louie has failed to stop them from gathering the Water King's power."

"What!? What happened to Louie," Recette yelled, clearly worried as she grabbed Griff's clothes. "Tell me, tell me, tell-!"

"Cease this at once," Griff yelled grabbing a piece of Walnut Bread from his pocket and jamming it into her mouth to stop her rambling. "I have no idea what happened to him, but I've already sent an Eyebat to him and the insufferable thief regarding what I discovered. Apparently, the Elemental Kings' energies are gathering in the Dark World. Specifically, the Demon Castle where the Demon King resides."

"You think the Demon King is the one behind everything," Elise asked.

"No. It makes no sense as to why the Demon King would even attempt this. But there is more. The Demon Generals have all gone missing. Apparently they were all called at one point or another to report to the castle and were not heard from since. Something is happening there, and whatever it is, I suspect it might have to do with the decline of the Demon Race as well. Which means this mission has become a lot more personal for me."

"Of course, it just has to be about 'you' doesn't it," Chante said with disdain. Griff glared at her, but she paid no attention.

"Then what are we waiting for," Arche declared. "I've been training for this! Let's go right now! We know where there is a gateway to the Dark World."

"In case you forgot Arche, that gateway leads into an almost inescapable mountain pass," Elise said, frowning. "Not to mention we'd still have to travel to the castle and there is no guarantee we would make it there and still have to fight to get back the Elemental Kings' power."

"Besides which, we wouldn't be able to siege the castle anyway. It's completely barred by a special barrier. Nothing I do can pierce through it," Griff said.

"But there must be some way to get inside," Tear said. "Don't castles have escape routes for royalty if they are under siege? If we can find one of those…"

"Unfortunately for us, those are covered too. Our enemies have not let anything to chance. However, there is one fatal flaw in their defenses. There is one gateway in this world that will lead us directly into the castle. If we can get to it…"

"Then they will never see us coming," Chante said excitedly. "Oh yeah, a surprise attack out of nowhere and bam! We save the world!"

"So where does this gateway exist then," Elise asked.

"According to what I was able to figure out… the gateway should be in Scotsholm, within the capital city of Scotshold. More than likely… within the Royal Palace there."

"Wow… I never would have thought to guess there," Arche said. "But would we even be able to get into the Palace? I don't think it would be easy."

"Foo, maybe we can fly in Arche," Chiffon suggested. "Then we can see the king and talk to him."

"Great idea! Maybe I can prepare a gift from the store to offer him," Recette said.

"I doubt we'd have anything that royalty would like… though I suppose we could give it a try," Tear said, mentally going over all their stock.

"For now, I have placed the message to the others to meet in Scotshold in about one week's time. Afterwards, we can formulate a plan of attack. We must hurry so I plan to leave first thing tomorrow morning. There is no telling how long the world will hold up without the Elemental Kings to help balance everything. I suggest you all prepare for this. There is no telling what will happen… and there is a likelihood some of us may not be able to come back."

"It's the enemy stronghold, so it's likely we should expect some resistance," Elise said. "Chante, let's go. We better prepare as many Magic Crystals as we can."

"Right! Then we better get a good night's rest too Chiffon. Our biggest adventure is about to begin! I can't wait to see Stella and Sana again!"

"Right Arche! They'll be so surprised by how much we learned!"

The two girls and their companions left the shop to prepare for the biggest fight of their lives, leaving Recette, Tear, and Griff in the shop. "Recette… I am counting on you to inform Elan, Nagi, and Arma about the situation. I have much to do so I won't be able to."

"Got it, just leave it to us Griff," Recette said cheerfully.

The demon nodded, before looking a bit thoughtful. "Recette… once before, when the danger was to become too much… I offered you the chance to flee. Do you recall?" Recette nodded. It was just before the appearance of the Obsidian Tower that Griff had come into her shop to deliver a warning. It was a strange thing indeed, to think that the once cold-hearted demon had cared enough to try and spare a young girl from what could have been a terrible fate. "I will say this again… there is no reason for you to put yourself in harm's way. Especially when we have some fairly capable fighters already."

"I know Griff… but my answer hasn't changed in all this time. My store will always be open for you guys," she said cheerfully. Griff said nothing to that, but gave her a small smile before turning and walking out the door, his face returning to a carefully blank mask. Recette gave a sigh before turning to her fairy companion, the one she trusted most above all. "Tear…"

"I know Recette. And I'm sure you know my feelings on the matter as well. But… I won't stop you this time. Merde, it's the Lapis Ruins all over again…"

"Thanks Tear," Recette said with a smile, giving her a gentle hug. "Let's go then. We have a lot to do before closing time." With that Recette raced out of the store, intent on finding her adventurer friends. Tear smiled before following her out the door. Inside though, she worried as she always did for her. This fight was undoubtedly going to be the biggest of all since this madness had begun. Recette really was her father's daughter after all. The call of adventure was something too great to ignore, she supposed.

"_It's our Shop sign of course! Doesn't it look cool?"_

"_I sold stuff… like, to people."_

"_I did it! Papa, I did it!"_

"_I have an Item Shop! And stuff! And it's all cool and awesome!"_

"_Tear, let's give it our all!"_

Tear could only hope that, in the end, she would still be able to smile as she always did, since that fateful day that felt like so long ago.


	24. The Final Path

_A/N: OH YEAH! Remember how I mentioned a few chapters back I would make up for missing an update? Here it is, the back-to-back double chapter weekend update. We are heading to the finale soon enough. Now, within this chapter update is a scene that is ENTIRELY IRRELEVANT to the plot. Why is it in here? Because you can't have a Recettear story, even as part of a crossover, without some good old fashioned banter between the heroine and Alouette/Prime. I mean, what kind of a hack story would this be without Alouette? The bad kind of hack story. And I strive to stand above that.  
_

_Rant over, enjoy the chapter._

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 24: The Final Path**_

* * *

Louie opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to try and remove the sense of sleepiness that came from waking up in the morning. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes a bit, shaking his head to clear it. Though he was used to waking up somewhat early in the morning, he was still not much of a morning person. At least not without some coffee to help jumpstart his day. Hot beverages like that were blessings back in his old home before he set out on his trip. Nothing helped break the morning chill and invigorate one to face the day like coffee did.

He turned to face the window of his room, looking at the streets. Only the early morning vendors were out and about. He supposed Recette would also be up around this time. Working in an Item Shop most likely meant getting up early to prepare the store for selling things. He wondered if he would make a good item shop owner whenever he decided to retire from the adventuring life. For now, he got out of bed and headed to the washroom to clean up and once again await any word from the others.

After the disaster that had been fighting against the Dark Knight, Louie and the others and gotten to work on helping to fix the ship and speaking to the Elemental King of Water to discuss what they might be able to do. Of course, they were stuck now without any clues left to go by, but halfway through the repair job, one of Griff's Eyebats appeared to deliver a message from the half-demon. With a new determination, a promise to get back the power stolen from Legeas, and the urgency to stop what could be the end of the world, Louie, Sana, and Tielle managed to get the ship back into sea-worthy sailing and they headed straight for Russbourg.

Upon arriving, Cliff had mentioned that he would try to convince as many sailors as he could to not go out to sea for the time being. Without Legeas protecting the waterways, many more monsters would emerge. Moreover, the rivers and lakes of the world would slowly start to dry up and rain would fall less and less. Louie could only hope that Griff and the rest would be able to find safe passage across the sea. Things were definitely going to get worse before they got better.

As the first ones to Scotshold, Louie had booked them rooms at the local inn for a few days, with the girls having a separate room from him. From there it would be playing the waiting game to see who would show up first. He was likely to bet on Charme, Caillou and Stella, considering they were in the neighboring kingdom, but he had no idea where they were at or how long it would take them to get here. He was certain they had also received the message from Griff and would likely be acting on it the moment they could.

Louie walked towards the girl's room and knocked on the door, prompting Sana to open it. "Hey, let's get some food."

"Okay, we'll be out soon." She closed the door, allowing her and Tielle to finish getting ready, while Louie went to the first floor of the inn to wait for them. As he did, he saw three familiar faces walk into the inn, looking a bit tired.

"Charme!" Charme looked up and smiled at seeing Louie, giving a friendly wave.

"Hey, if it isn't my favorite swordsman. Glad to see you aren't dead yet," she said with a playful smile.

"What kind of a greeting is that," Stella asked.

"Ignore them," Caillou said, walking up to the counter. "I need to hurry with my work and get some sleep. Traveling most of the night isn't good for us and we still have a lot to do."

While Caillou made arrangements for rooms, Stella faced the two adventurers. "I need to get a message to my father's company here. I'll be back soon, so I trust you stay out of trouble."

"Oh relax kid," Charme said with a sigh. "It is only one time…"

"Once is more than enough," she said, turning and leaving them.

"What happened?"

"Eh, let's just say I had a bit of a… disagreement with a berk in Abyssinia."

"A bar fight? Seriously?"

"Hey, when the other guy can't land a punch, you can't really call it a 'fight' now can you," she said with a smirk. Louie could only chuckle at that. He had been witness to a few fights in Pensee, though thankfully had not been involved in any himself. "Anyway, I could really go for some food. We were close enough, so we wanted to get here as soon as possible."

"Charme!" The thief turned to be tackled by Tielle who had hugged her. "Oh wow, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. How have things been?"

"I'll tell you over some waffles or something."

Louie nodded and once Sana arrived, they headed out.

* * *

"Sana! Stella!"

"Arche!"

Arche ran up and gave her two friends a hug, with Chiffon flying and landing on Sana's head. She and the rest of their group had arrived in the afternoon following Charme and her group's arrival. Louie had met them all at the inn and together they had moved to the Mayberk Corporation's main building, to make use of one of the conference rooms there.

After the friendly greetings, and Louie getting over the surprise of Recette actually being here, Stella informed everyone on the status of the Elemental King of Fire and what she learned of her father's fate and what he discovered. It coincided well with Griff's own investigation and further solidified just what they needed to do.

"The only problem is finding the gateway," Elan said. "From what I saw just on the outside, it's a pretty big castle to have to search through." He turned to Caillou. "You think you can help us find it?"

"Possibly, but I am getting a lot of magical signatures from within. Not to mention all the people here with Elemental Stones might make it hard to pinpoint where the gateway will be," the magician stated.

"That's ok, we just gotta spilt up to cover more ground," Chante said. "I think I can sense it if we get close enough. From here, all the other magical interference is getting in the way."

"We cannot go in to the Dark World alone though," Arma said. "While some of us possess natural protection to its power, Elan, Charme, Nagi and Louie do not. They're strength is a significant factor to our chances of success." Caillou possessed enough magical power to resist the effects of the Dark World, as did Tielle being an Elf. Arma, not even being human, wouldn't be affected at all.

"I have things to help protect them," Griff said, holding up some familiar pendants that Elan recognized from his first trip through. "There is still no telling what we will find on the other side though."

"Hold on. All this is nice and all, but how do we even get into the castle? I doubt they would let strangers like us in," Stella pointed out.

"Aw, that's easy Stella," Arche said smiling. "We just got to-."

"Please don't tell me your big plan is to sneak in."

"Wow! Stella, are you a mind reader?"

"No, just painfully aware of how you think," the girl replied. "So, any other ideas?"

"I can get us in," Charme said, looking a bit uncomfortable. "But you guys have to play along with it, alright? No questions and try not to act surprised."

"Are you sure this will work? And that it isn't possibly illegal," Tear asked.

"It's fine. Just trust me, okay?"

With their plan solidified, they were about to call it a day when a commotion from behind the door alerted them. "W-wait! You cannot just go in there!"

"And why not," a young female's voice replied. "I simply want a place to rest my feet is all." The door opened and in walked a young female around Recette's age, with long blonde hair and a fancy lavender dress with a yellow ribbon tied around her neck. She paused, surprised at seeing such a big group in the room before her eyes locked with Recette's. "You!"

"Eh!?"

"Hey, mistress," came a bored sounding voice as a fairy with purple hair, a maroon top and red skirt flew in, "have you found a place to rest yet? Ah… oh it's you guys."

"Hmph! So my dear rival, we meet again," the blonde said with a hint of flair as she brushed her hair back. "It seems you have the same idea as us, but too bad! Father and I have already beaten you to the punch."

"Um, who is that Recette," Sana asked.

"Merde…"

"What!? How could you not have heard of me? Well then again, I suppose I shouldn't expect much from the commoners. Shame on you though, Recette! Introduce me properly."

"Umm… well, this is Alouette, and that is her fairy partner, Prime." Alouette smiled, looking rather self-important while Prime merely sighed.

"And she-," Tear began, but was cut off by Stella.

"Why are you here? Who let you wander around this place," she demanded, standing up to her.

"Ah, you must be Stella Mayberk," Alouette said, grasping her hand and shaking it, much to her confusion. "Yes, yes, you are just as he described! Are you Recette's friend as well? Though I cannot say I am happy to hear that, at least the fact that you have chosen my esteemed rival proves you have some taste. As to why I'm here-."

"Her dad wants to open some stores here and he's talking to head guy about cooperating or something like that," Prime said.

"I was just getting to that," Alouette said, displeased to have the wind taken out of her sails.

"Opening… what?"

"As I was saying, her family is the owner of the Item Shop Chain, Big Bash. It's the biggest franchise in Dalmatia, with a net worth of several billion Pix," Tear said. "So you have chosen to expand beyond the borders of the continent?"

"Father thinks it is a good idea. Although, the last time my father thought something was a good idea… well, you know how that turned out," she said, drawing involuntary grimaces from several of Pensee's adventurers. "So I decided to accompany him in this business venture. It's never too early to gain valuable business sense after all. If all goes well, then Big Bash and the Mayberk Corporation will no doubt be wonderful allies."

Stella couldn't help but wonder if this would be such a good idea. Of course, she knew that now that her father had been found and there would be people sent out to retrieve him from Abyssinia where he was recovering, soon he would be back to making the major decisions again. And this sounded like something that would be held off until he could make that decision.

"So um… yeah, great buddies and all that. So anyway, mistress," Prime said, "maybe we should be heading back. They might be done with their talks soon."

"I suppose your right. A word though, Recette?" Recette nodded, the two girls walking off together. Tear made to follow, but Prime blocked her path, shaking her head. Once away from the others, Alouette turned to face her. "Look, I won't ask why you are here of all places, especially when you should be taking advantage of the fact I'm not in Pensee at the moment. But good luck with whatever it is you are doing."

"Eh? Well, thanks Alouette," Recette said cheerfully. "Are you sure…?"

"Positive. But don't you dare forget the fact that we are rivals. I won't go easy on you once we get back to Pensee," she said with a smirk. "Until then… just do your best I guess. Come Prime," she spoke up louder. "We must be off."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming… Later guys," she said with a slight smirk before flying off after Alouette who left them.

"She was kind of… interesting," Sana said.

"She reminded me of Stella," Arche exclaimed.

"Oh? And just how did she remind you of me, hm?"

"Uh, well… you both have… blonde hair?"

"Foo… Arche…"

"Ridiculous," Griff scoffed. "A complete waste of time."

* * *

The next day had the group approaching the palace. It seemed a strange sight to many that morning, but Charme led the way all the same. Walking up to the castle gates, the guards there immediately raised their spears. "Hold! Who approaches?"

Charme stepped forwards and looking as regal as possible announced "My name is Princess Charme Vin of Abyssinia. I have come with a message for the King." Everyone did their best to act unsurprised, though only Griff, Elise, Caillou and Arma actually succeeded. The guards were less than amused however.

"An obvious lie if we have ever heard one. What proof do you have of this?" At that, Charme merely gave a sigh before reaching into her pockets and producing a golden object. Holding it up, the guards looked to it before stepping back in surprise. "T-that's…"

"The Royal Seal of Abyssinia! How did you-?"

"I trust this to be proof enough of my identity. Now, will you allow us passage or not?"

"That… you cannot mean… this is a rather unconventional group you are traveling with, Princess."

"Be that as it may, that does not answer my question. Are you going to let us in, or will I have to report back to my father of this? It would be a shame that our peace between our two kingdoms would be broken over this."

"N-no, of course not! Open the gates!" The gates to the castle opened at his command, to which he bowed before them. "Allow us to escort you to the King."

"Thank you." She nodded to the group who proceeded to follow them. As they walked, Stella walked up to her to catch up.

"Where on earth did you acquire that," she whispered, referring to the Royal Seal.

"Let's just say I got it a long time ago, and leave it at that."

"I must say, I was quite convinced myself," Nagi said. "Your talents surprise me."

Though most of the group agreed, only one was unsure of it all. Tear had recalled once before, when she and Recette had met her coming into the store, of a certain conversation away from Recette's ears. The girl had accurately read through her at the time, and made valid points that she could not refute immediately. Though Tear had tried to say otherwise, Charme had been right; had it been any other person with such an outstanding debt as the one Recette had been handled with, even despite the circumstances, she would have definitely taken the house as payment and flew away without once turning back. And it was the final words after that had stuck in her head.

"_The harder you try to spin some elaborate tale the worse it ends up being when the web comes apart at the end."_ Though she had said that she didn't have the right to say such a thing, she definitely spoke like she knew from experience what she was talking about.

Tear put it out of her mind. Even if Charme really was what she suspected her to be, now wasn't the time to think of it. They had bigger things to worry about for now. The group entered the throne room, where the ruler of Scotsholm resided. The King nodded to them as Charme stepped forwards and bowed low. "Greetings, your majesty."

"Well met. I had heard some rumors about your status Princess. Though I am glad to see that they are just that, rumors. I was informed you had some message for me."

"Yes. It has come to our attention that there is a gateway into the Dark World within the confines of your castle. Are you aware of this?"

"We are indeed," the king said to the group's surprise. "But how exactly did you know of this?"

"That would be due to me," Griff said, walking forwards. He stood ahead of Charme, but did not bow. The only king he would bow to would be the Demon King and no other. "As a Half-Demon, I have knowledge of these things. So, you will direct us to the gateway and then we will be on our way."

"My Lord," a man nearby him spoke, gazing to the group, "I would think it would be unwise to trust the likes of them. Considering their group… some of them are clearly not Abyssinian."

"And why exactly are you attempting to use this gateway? It is dangerous, and has been locked away from everyone since its discovery here. You cannot clearly mean to open it. We are all too aware of the dangers of the Dark World."

"Right now, the world as we know it is about to become just as dangerous. The decline of Elemental power in the world has taken a nosedive," Caillou said. "The Magicians Guild's observations have shown that something is happening within the Dark World, and we need access to it in order to see if we can somehow reverse the situation."

"This is… a delicate situation, you must understand. We have no reason to trust you."

"Please," Stella said, "We are telling-."

"_**My name is Chiffon,"**_ the young Wind Elemental said with authority in his voice, his eyes glowing with power. Everyone but Arche was shocked to hear it. _**"I have been sent here by Minasa-Ratis to prevent a terrible fate from coming to pass. She had predicted these events to occur and thus I have chosen these people to enact her will. You shall assist us, or know that you have doomed us all to destruction."**_

The king and his men visibly paled as Chiffon floated before them. "This is… Guards! Take them to the gateway at once!"

"Y-y-yes your majesty!" Chiffon floated back into Arche's arms, eyes closing as he rested. The group was quickly led out of the chambers, while most of them crowded the Elemental.

"How in the world…?" Stella said flabbergasted.

"What the heck did he do," Louie asked.

"Foo… Master Eolia taught me… how to do that…"

"That was great Chiffon. You did really well," Arche praised.

"Thanks Arche… does anyone have any juice? Doing that makes my throat scratchy… don't know how Master Eolia does that all the time."

Everyone could only stare in response.


	25. Castle Crashers

_A/N: Well, here we are, the final dungeon! Get yourself the best equips you can and pack your healing items! I wanted to upload this much sooner, but I decided that some last minute changes were needed, including a bit more things happening. Hopefully, it all works out. Next up... the dreaded Boss Battles!  
_

_**Malandy**: Thanks! I didn't expect any free advertising, but I won't complain. Hopefully it gets the story out there for others to read and hopefully enjoy. Hope you keep enjoying what I'm writing too._

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 25: Castle Crashers**_

* * *

The powerful, malevolent aura could be sensed by everyone in the room, even by one such as Recette whom, as Caillou had once quoted, 'magic would bounce off like rubber'. There was nothing about the room to suggest it housed a gateway into the Dark World, other than the fact it was completely bare of anything but the floor, ceiling and four walls that made it a room.

Griff prepared the spell, watching as a giant portal began to open, several runic writings in Chaos appearing along the walls and ceiling. The gateway opened, with everyone tensed and ready. Stepping through, they found themselves in a spacious, yet dimly lit room with several shelves filled with various cans and wrapped goods. "This is… a pantry," Tear said uncertainly.

"I think so… but why here of all places," Elise asked.

"Man, first a cave, now a pantry, do these portals make any sense," Chante said.

"If one thinks about it, it is rather ingenious," Arma said. "How many people would believe an escape route lies through a pantry?"

"Alright," Griff said, gathering their attention, "the first thing we need to do is keep at least two of you here to guard the gateway. Undoubtedly once we head out of here, the word of intruders will spread and they will likely search for more of us or wherever we managed to sneak in from. We cannot have our one passage out of here be compromised."

"I got this," Charme said giving thumbs up. "No one will get through me!"

"I will accompany you then," Nagi said, bowing. "I am used to standing guard over something."

"Good. Next we will need a team to head to the dungeons of this place. They are likely to be underground," Griff continued. "I have a feeling the Demon Generals, and even the King, are still in the castle and that is the most likely place they will be held. I will be heading down, so who is with me?"

"Count me in," Elise said.

"Same here," Tielle cheered.

"Affirmative," Arma said.

"Got it," Louie said.

"Where Louie goes, I shall follow," Recette said.

"That should be enough," Griff said. "The rest of you need to secure the upper area. See if you can't find any clues as to what is happening or where our foes may be. Do not be reckless though. This is their stronghold for now."

"No problem," Arche said. "Those bad guys won't know what hit them!"

"I surmise we will be meeting somewhere afterwards," Stella asked.

"The throne room will be our rendezvous point. We need to get moving soon. There is no telling what will happen." The large group quickly left the pantry and into a kitchen proper. The kitchen itself was huge, and there were several golem-like creatures managing tasks. The creatures were startled by the appearance of the group, and using the surprise to their advantage, quickly destroyed them. Once out of the kitchen, they found themselves at the end of a hallway. With no other places to go, the group sped forwards.

The next room was a dining hall, but there were no enemies in sight. Heading to the next area, they entered what appeared to be a foyer. A staircase led to the second floor, where five doorways stood. The first floor had three other doorways to explore. "Lots of places to go… how do we cover them all," Elan asked.

"I have a feeling… the dungeons are this way," Griff said pointing to the doorway at the other end of the room. "For now, we spilt up here… you take the upper floors. If I'm wrong, we can at least clear out any enemies along the way before trying a different path."

"Right. Let's get moving." Griff and his team continued ahead while the rest headed upstairs. Caillou approached the center door, reaching out to open it before stopping. "What's wrong Caillou," Elan asked.

"This door has a barrier around it. Whatever is powering this barrier is likely going to be in one of the other pathways."

"So I'm guessing that whatever is beyond this point is something worth protecting," Stella said. "The throne room perhaps?"

"Maybe. So which way do we go," Arche asked.

"I suppose this far right path. It's as good as any at this point," Elan said. "By the way Caillou, you can't simply break it?"

"Not without studying what is powering the barrier and how it works. It could end up taking too long. Best to find the source and deal with it there." The group headed to the far right pathway, walking down a corridor and taking out the various monsters within. Several Orcs with swords and bows blocked their path, and Stella and Arche were surprised by the Ropers and Knights from Pensee's dungeons also within.

The end of the hallway held a spiraling staircase. Griff had explained the castle had three towers, so they resigned themselves to climb up. Several cobras and bats were slowing them down, but ultimately could not stop them. The three natives to Scotsholm were mostly supporting the two powerhouses of Pensee. Arche was enamored by how strong Elan was with just his fists and Stella and Sana were more captivated by Caillou's magical skill. Merely watching them felt like a learning experience.

Reaching the top, they found a large deserted space with nothing of note within. "End of the line… looks like there isn't anything here," Elan said.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should search around more," Sana suggested.

Before anyone could reply, a barrier surrounded the doorway back, causing the three girls to turn in surprised. Caillou and Elan however were shocked to see something appear before them. "W-w-what!? What is THAT doing here," Caillou said in disbelief.

The three girls turned to see that a large ball of fire had appeared within the center of the room, the cackle of electricity surrounding it as it grew to outsize Chiffon. Suddenly an unholy wailing sound filled the room, causing everyone to cover their ears. "What is THAT," Arche asked.

"Arche… I feel… I'm scared… don't go near…" Chiffon said, shaking constantly. As an Elemental, he could literally feel the overwhelming malice the thing before them was emitting.

"That thing… is a Will-o-Wisp," Elan said, already feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise up. Every adventurer had been warned of these things, and he had thankfully never had the misfortune of seeing one. Even as he said it, the room began to feel cold, as if despite being a thing made of fire, it sucked out all the warmth around it. "But what the heck is it doing here? They should only exist in Pensee's dungeons."

"No idea… but it looks like we have to beat this thing to escape."

"Are you kidding? Can something like that even be beaten," Stella asked, starting to sound afraid.

"It's a monster. A powerful, resilient one, but still considered a monster all the same," Caillou said. "It can be beaten, but it won't be easy."

The Will-o-Wisp charged forwards with surprising speed, causing everyone to move quickly out of the way, scattering themselves. "Whoa! It's fast," Sana exclaimed. "Icicle!" Her spell crashed into the monster, but it showed no signs of taking any damage. It sped after its attacker, causing Elan to quickly rush in and get her away.

"Watch out! You don't want to let that thing touch you!"

"Unison!" Arche and Chiffon fused, but the moment it was done, Arche stumbled to one knee, gritting her teeth. "Wha… oh man, it's like… I can feel what Chiffon was feeling. There's… so much hatred in there…"

The Will-o-Wisp changed directions smoothly, going after Arche. She quickly picked herself up and swung her sword. "Twister!" The magical wind blasted at the beast, but the monster powered through it, still charging towards the swordswoman. She flew up to try to dodge, but the monster followed.

"Chaser!"

"Gemini!"

The two homing spells clashed with the fireball, slowing it down before it settled to attack at Caillou. "Teleport!" Caillou vanished just before the monster could ram into him appearing on the opposite side of the room. "Darn it… nothing we do is working!"

"It's definitely weakening, but not by much," Elan said. "Chi Blast!" Elan continued to pelt at it from long range, hoping to keep it at bay.

"This isn't good. At this rate we will run out of power too quickly. But it's too dangerous to even get near it," Stella said.

"But, what can we do," Sana asked, unleashing a wave of water at the monster.

"I have an idea. You guys boost me up," Arche said, holding her sword at the ready. Sana provided a barrier while Stella coated her sword in fire.

"Arche, you better not do something stupid!"

"Don't worry, this might just work! Thunderstorm!" Arche summoned a magical lightning storm above the Will-o-Wisp, pelting it with bolts of energy. "Lightning Blade!" Arche's sword was coated completely in electricity, the glowing power making her sword look longer than it was originally. "Here I go!" Arche charged in with the Will-o-Wisp charging as well. It would take some precision to get the strike right, but Arche was confident.

At the last moment, Arche dodged, swinging her blade hard. Even enhanced as it was, it felt like Arche had swung at a solid stone wall. The overwhelming malice she felt when her blade made contact was also starting to give her a headache. The Will-o-Wisp began to charge at her, and her eyes went wide, unknowing if it would be the end…

"ORA!" Elan's fist crashed into the monster with such force it knocked it completely off course. He winced, seeing his hand was burnt from simple contact with the thing. "You ok?"

"A-ah! Yeah…" Arche's mind was frazzled as she recovered from her near-death experience. The Will-o-Wisp seemed to be having trouble staying afloat, which meant it was finally weakening. Suddenly a large magic circle surrounded it, complex writing surrounding the spell circle. At first they were concerned that the monster was about to cast an ability, when they noticed Caillou was the one focusing.

"Hehehe… I've been meaning to try this one out! Element… Release!" A pillar of raw magical power shot out from the circle, enveloping the monster within. Another unholy wail resounded out of it before the fire disappeared and the barrier around the exit lifted. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief seeing it go down.

"That… was intense," Elan said, as he helped Caillou up. Arche and Chiffon separated, with Chiffon immediately hugging Arche.

"Arche… that was really scary…"

"It's ok, Chiffon… it's gone now."

"I do hope Griff and the others are doing ok," Sana said.

* * *

"This is… too easy," Griff said, dispatching another Knight. The monsters they had encountered were strong, could easily pass for the lower level ones within the Lapis Ruins. But for a path leading into the dungeons, Griff had expected more of a resistance.

"Well, I'm not complaining," Chante said, keeping a lookout for more surprises. She, Louie and Griff had taken the front lines, while Tielle, Arma and Recette kept to the back line. For the most part, the three up front were getting most of the fighting in, though Arma and Tielle's long-range abilities helped to keep things from getting too hectic.

As they descended the next flight of stairs, they found what they had been looking for; jail cells. Moving along, they noticed that they were filled, with a single prisoner each. Griff stared at the first one he came across, anger visible in his gaze.

"Griff…" Recette said, unable to find words to calm him down.

"Despicable. To do this to the proud race of Demons…" Within the cage, a single demon was chained inside, arms and legs pressed against the wall. On his neck was a collar of sorts, with a blue gem embedded in it. The demon wasn't moving and didn't react to the presence outside the cage.

"Hey, are you ok in there," Elise called out. The demon didn't reply, his eyes still closed. "What happened here?"

"I don't know… but I have a feeling we are going to find out soon enough," Tear said.

The group kept moving, passing by more cells some with demons in them, others without. None of the demons seemed to be reacting to their presence, though Griff had stopped before one of them and simply stared inside before he was pulled along to keep going. Chante had looked into the cage as well, but she didn't see anything special or different about its occupant.

They finally reached a large room that had three floors of prison cells, some filled but most empty. "There," Griff said pointing to the opposite doorway. "That should be the jailor's office. The keys to the cells should be within."

"Everyone, step back," Arma commanded. They all did, in time to see something fall from the upper levels. A behemoth of a monster, carrying a large mace and wearing straps of armor over its towering body, roared out.

"INTRUDERS! PUNISH THEM, ALL!" Arma pulled Recette back, as the others scattered when the beast smashed its weapon into the ground. A small crater had formed from the impact.

"Talk about a welcome," Chante said. "Sis, you ready?"

"Never seen a monster like this… everyone, stay on your guard!"

Griff gave an inhuman roar of fury. Powerful dark energies surrounded him pushing everyone back. **"YOU SHALL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE HERE, ABOMINATION!"** He charged in yelling with fury as he slashed at the beast's body. If the monster had felt anything, it didn't show or even flinch. It merely roared and attempted to smash its weapon into Griff. Louie quickly pulled him back, preventing him for meeting a messy end.

"Damn it Griff, you cannot just rush that thing recklessly," he admonished, as Tielle charged her arrows and pelted the thing with them. Again it didn't flinch, but instead wildly charged at the Archer.

"**DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO STOP ME, SWORDSMAN,"** Griff said, anger and power still within his voice. **"I AM GOING TO KILL THAT THING IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"** Griff charged in again, though Arma was with him this time. Arma aimed her flamethrowers at the creature's face, blinding it and causing it to flail its weapon around. Griff slashed at its body once more, but his attacks barely seemed to faze it. The creature's mace smashed into Arma, knocking her back.

"Arma!" Recette quickly gathered some healing items from her pack, while Elise and Louie stepped in.

"Wind!"

"Vacuum Cut!"

Both strikes caused various cuts along the beast's body, but for all it did it seemed more to agitate it than actually do much damage. Suddenly magical energies gathered around the mace it wielded and he slammed it down, spires of earth shooting out. Everyone was knocked back by the blow, save Arma and Recette.

"Nothing is working! He's shrugging everything we throw at him," Elise said.

"Ice Arrow!" Tielle fired several ice enchanted arrows at the beast's feet, freezing it in place. "Arma, quickly!"

"Affirmative." Arma focused as her special weapon materialized before her. With the beast stuck and a clear shot available, she quickly charged the weapon. "Vector Cannon, fire!" The huge blast of energy enveloped the beast, the recoil slamming Arma into the nearby wall. She slumped down, too tired to continue fighting.

"Whoa! What the heck was that," Chante asked.

"Arma's special weapon," Louie answered. "Did it work…?"

A roar answered when they saw the beast emerged from the blow, looking a bit worse for wear but still standing. "INSECTS! PERISH!" The beast charged, to which Griff and Louie struck back, defending against the creature's rampage.

"This isn't looking good," Tear said. "We need a new plan of attack."

"But what can we do? We've already hit that thing with some of our best moves," Tielle said.

"I've got an idea," Recette said, drawing her own blade. "If it doesn't have a weak point, maybe if we attack it in the same place, over and over again…"

"Alright, that's good thinking," Louie said. "Everyone, go for it! Don't stop till he's down!"

Tielle launched her arrows at the beast, striking it in the chest. Elise struck forwards, dodging the monster's attack to strike at her. Louie and Recette jumped in at the same time, both striking with as much power as they could.

Griff finished the chain of attacks driving his claw into the beast's chest. The monster gave another howl of pain before it was destroyed, scattering several hundreds of Magic Crystals throughout the room. Griff forced himself to calm down, letting the rage drain out of him. "Good riddance."

"You ok, Griff," Tielle asked.

"I… will be fine," he said, his voice returning to normal.

"That was crazy," Chante said. "Can we rest now?"

"Later," Griff said. "We still need to free the demons."

"Still, that was a rather impressive strategy you employed, Recette," Tear said. "Where did you even get the idea?"

"Eh? Hehehe… well, it… came to me?" She laughed nervously. She honestly couldn't tell them she had gotten the idea from a book. (Wings of Eldon 2, Chapter 19.)

"Well, it worked so no worries about that," Louie said. "Good job Recette."

"Let's move out then," Elise said.

* * *

_New Abilities Unlocked!_

_Arche - Thunderstorm_

_Mana Cost: 20 MP_

_Description: Charged with power, Arche rains Lightning on her foes!_

_Effect: Unleash a barrage of lightning in front of Arche for 7 seconds. Enemies caught within take damage every second. May cause flinching._

_Arche - Lightning Blade_

_Mana Cost: 15 MP_

_Description: Arche empowers her sword to deal great damage! Casting twice unleashes it's true potential!_

_Effect: Increases Arche's attack damage and slightly increases the range of her sword attacks. Lasts for 20 seconds. Casting a second time will grant Arche a second 'Lightning Blade' that lasts for half the time and unlocks Duel Sword Style, giving her new sword techniques and playstyle._

_Caillou - Element Release_

_SP Cost: 25 SP_

_Description: Caillou unleashes the secrets of magic on his foes!_

_Effect: Deals 250% non-elemental damage on enemies caught in a targeted area. Takes 3 seconds to cast, giving swifter enemies a chance to dodge the damage completely. Useful on stationary or slow-moving targets._

_Tielle - Ice Arrow_

_SP Cost: 1 SP per attack_

_Description: Tielle enchants her arrows, granting them frost abilities._

_Effect: While this ability is active, Tielle's arrows gain ice damage and induce slowing effects on enemies attacked. Arrows gain a chance to inflict Freeze status for 2 seconds based on her Magic Stat. Duration and chance to Freeze are halved against Bosses._

_Griff - Berserk Fury_

_SP Cost: None_

_Description: Griff goes on a rampage... consequences be damned!_

_Effect: Massively increases damage dealt by Griff to enemies. Other abilities and items cannot be used. After 3 seconds, if Griff is not attacking an enemy, he will lose 5 HP per second. Lasts 20 seconds._


	26. Ascension

_A/N: Here we go! Our Bosses and the fighters who will face them! Each Boss Battle will have their own chapter dedicated to it. For now, lets set the pieces up! Also, can anyone guess the identity of our Mysterious Mastermind? Perhaps this chapter will finally give you the clues you need to unmask them! _

**_Malandy- _**_Glad to know you are enjoying things. As for Recette's behavior, it's fairly simple to explain. You see-.  
_

**_Tear: I will explain it. You see, as owner of a profitable Item Shop, I have been instructing Recette on having a bit more etiquette in the way she speaks. I believe that the lessons are finally sticking. As for Louie's lack of a flustered reaction, it's quite easy to see that though they have only been a couple for a short while, they have already been great friends and partners in exploring the dungeons with each other. Since the castle is treated simply as another dungeon, they are much more familiar with journeying together and watching each others back as it were._**

_Hey! Well that is... a much better explanation than what I was going to give, you stay out of this! Back to the story with you! Well, hope that answers that.  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 26: Ascension**_

* * *

Griff and the others were moving through the jail, opening the cell doors to release the demons inside. Having fought the monster that was guarding the keys to the cells, everyone was taking this opportunity to rest up and accept some healing items from Recette. It wouldn't be a proper rest, but it would be enough to keep them going.

Once they opened the cells, Griff inspected the demons to find that the collars they wore served to siphon away their energy, weakening them further. Many of the demons were unconscious as a result, and the few that were awake would only give looks of contempt to the ones helping them. Most likely because they were humans.

"Recette," Griff said, after removing another collar from the demon before him, "do you have something for him? Anything will do."

"Um, yeah… here," she said, pulling out some medicine. Griff eased the medicine down the demon's throat, causing him to cough and wearily open his eyes.

"Wha… what is…?" The demon looked around, and noticed Griff nearby. "Griff? Is that you? What…?"

"Calm yourself," he said. "We need to know what happened here."

"We?" At that, he noticed the others with him, who had gathered to hear what the demon would say. His eyes widened at what he saw. "Griff, have you lost your mind!? Why did you bring humans into the castle!? Do you realize what you're doing?"

"At this point, I don't care. The castle is already lost to us by outsiders, as you already know. Even I am not foolish enough to take on whatever is here alone. These were my best options for back-up. Believe me, I would have gathered demons if I could, but there was no time to evaluate skills on such a short notice."

"Well, I see your point… though I don't like it, and neither will the others. To think we have fallen so far as to be indebted to humans…"

"Hey, come on, they aren't that bad," Chante said annoyed.

"Cease your prattling Fae," the demon said, now standing on his own. "I'll ask if I want your opinion."

"Why you little-!"

Griff held up his hand to stop her. "Details, if you would."

"Right… As you know, I was called here some years ago. I had interpreted it as an order from the Demon King, whom we swore allegiance to. At least until someone dethroned him. Turns out, that was exactly what happened."

"So where is the Demon King now," Louie asked. "Is he locked up here too?"

"No. Custom dictates that there is only one way to remove a King from power, and that is permanently. He's gone, that's that." Everyone seemed shocked by it. "Worse yet… he was defeated by a mere human."

"A human? Impossible," Griff scoffed.

"While I am not certain as to what degree of strength your King might have, I would have to agree with Griff," Arma said. "It doesn't seem likely that this could happen."

"Believe me, I didn't believe it either. But that accursed female… Her power was beyond normal. A can't begin to phantom what she must have done to our King. But she was issuing the commands to bring the Generals to her, and locking them away. I suppose she didn't want the Demons to get suspicious."

"I see… so our mysterious mastermind is some woman then. That doesn't really narrow things down though," Elise said.

"Did she give a name? What did she look like," Tear asked.

"She gave no name… as for her looks, all I know is she possesses blonde hair. Her face was covered by a mask."

"Well, that was a bust," Tielle said. "So what now? We freed these guys, do we go back and rejoin the others?"

"Yes… but I am worried about the others. Most of these demons are clearly not in any shape to fight, and we can't waste all our healing supplies on them. One of us needs to stay with them in case something happens."

"I would prefer the Elf. It's slightly less demeaning," the demon said.

"Watch it buddy," Chante said. "Don't think I won't-!"

"Chante please!"

"I will stay," Arma suggested. "As I am also not a human, therefore I can qualify to your demand. Is this acceptable?"

"Not a human huh? I'll admit, you certainly look different than the others. Very well. But don't think we owe you anything after all this is done."

"That's ok," Recette said. "Let's head back then. Unless we missed something?"

"No, we should be good. I hope Elan and the others managed to get things settled above ground," Louie remarked.

As the group turned to leave, the demon called out, "Griff, wait." Everyone stopped, but Griff dismissed them with a wave of his hand, indicating he would catch up to them. Once they were gone and the two demons had their privacy, the demon spoke once more. "I understand your intentions… and while I think I can help you considering the circumstances, you might still be punished for bringing humans here."

"If I am to be punished, then I will accept it. I won't run or hide. But I will liberate this castle first, before anything. That is my duty, after all."

The demon stared Griff down, before giving a smirk and chuckle. "My, you certainly have changed Griff. Did your time among the humans do that to you? Though you've also definitely gotten stronger as well… tell me, has your dream changed?"

"It is still the same as when I decided to leave. Though I will admit, my methods may differ now than before."

"Ah yes… I suppose that is your mother's side manifesting itself, as I thought it would," the demon said, causing Griff to stiffen. "Griff, about what happened to her…"

"I do not want to hear it," Griff said, turning away. "I have already put that behind me. Even if half of my blood is human, I am still a demon, through and through. I have dedicated myself to see this path to the end."

"That doesn't mean much, Griff. I did love her, after all, and that has not made me weak," he said. "You need to accept that. If you keep denying that part of you, you will come to regret it one day."

"Whether or not I will regret it, remains to be seen."

"I see… so is that your real reason then?" Griff did not answer him right away. "Even despite what happened, I wouldn't have changed anything. At the very least, think of what she would say to see you do this to yourself."

"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, considering she isn't here anymore," Griff responded stiffly. "I will continue as I have been. No matter the reason."

"I see… then, as your father, I will of course support your decisions. But please, Griff… if not for her, then at least for me."

"…I will see you soon, father." And with that, Griff departed to catch up with the others.

* * *

The group had returned to the upper level and proceeded to enter the throne room. The occupants inside turned to meet them, most of them sitting down and resting themselves. Only Elan was standing on duty, his fists raised quickly, but dropped seeing who was there. "Hey guys. I take it you were able to get something out of your efforts?"

"Yeah," Louie said, giving Elan a handshake and smiling. "The demons are all down in the dungeons. Arma is with them now."

"That would explain why I don't see her," Stella said, looking at them. "Please tell me you have something to eat in that pack of yours Recette. I really don't want to hear Arche complain about being hungry."

"Eh? We did show up in a pantry of all places, wouldn't there be food there," Chante questioned.

"Please! Apparently demons have a much looser palette for what counts as food," Stella said.

"We weren't sure what most of that stuff was, so we thought it best not to eat any," Sana said.

"Don't worry, I made sure to pack plenty for everyone," Recette said, taking out the vast amounts of food she had prepared beforehand. She was eternally grateful for the fact that her pack was magically much bigger on the inside than the outside showed.

"What happened to you guys," Tielle said looking them over as she proceeded to eat her melon.

"Let's just say our adversaries chose some not so ordinary monsters to defend the castle from intruders," Caillou said. Caillou explained the fight with the Will-o-Wisp, a feat that impressed everyone, a Devil Mage that knew an ungodly amount of dangerous spells, a giant Knight that continuously summoned more Knights, and a thing that Caillou called a 'Shade' that took on the form of Arche and fought them, even knowing all of her own abilities.

Arche was chomping down on a Ham Sandwich, while Chiffon ate an Apple. "Arche, slow down," Stella complained. "Show some manners!"

"Aw, but I'm really, really hungry," she said. "I think this new Unison eats up more of my energy than before… or maybe it's just cause I'm using it more often."

"Still, you might choke, Arche," Sana warned, as she ate her own food.

"Hey, hey I agree with Arche! We need food to keep our strength up," Tielle said.

"Let's just not go overboard," Elise said.

The group spent the next hour eating and recovering their strength. None of them had encountered the three who had been out and about in the world trying to upset the balance, and there was still the mysterious mastermind behind it all. Griff surmised they were likely within the Central Tower, the location upwards being right behind the throne.

Once fully rested the group entered the passageway and began to climb the stairs there. There were no monsters to impede their progress, but they ended up in a room sooner than they would have thought. It was completely circular, and nothing worth noting was in it. At the other end was another set of stairs leading up more. They approached it when a voice stopped them.

"Well, well… we have some unexpected visitors here."

Everyone turned to see the masked Sauv standing in the middle of the room, looking in their direction. Louie tightened the grip on his blade, remembering fighting him in the Amber Garden. "You!"

"Ah… Louie, right? My, you have gotten even stronger than before!"

"You know him," Elan asked, keeping a glare on him.

"Sort of… he slowed me and Nagi down when we were searching for a cure for Tielle's poisoning."

"Oh… it seems your little Elf friend lived after all," Sauv said tauntingly. "Well then, I'm quite surprised!"

"You guys get going," Tielle said. "I've got a bone to pick with this guy!"

"You can't seriously intend to take him alone," Caillou said, stepping up. "Who do you think had to take care of you when you got poisoned? This guy is to blame for making me waste valuable time and resources."

"I'll back you guys up," Elan said. "Best to have a variety of ways to take this guy down. Louie, keep heading up! We can take him!"

"Are you sure?"

"Come, we have no time," Griff said, rushing up the staircase. Everyone else followed, as Sauv stared at them, watching them go.

"Not going to try and stop them," Caillou asked.

"Hehehe… nah, its fine. They are too late to do anything anyways. Pretty soon… the whole world will bow down to us. So, before we begin, some introductions are in order! You can call me Sauv. And-!" He quickly dodged an arrow nearly striking him in the face, as magical barriers surrounded the exits to the room.

"I don't care who you are," Tielle said. "I'm gonna kick your butt for what you did to me!"

* * *

The group ran up ahead, further up the tower. "Can you feel that," Tear said.

"Yeah," Chante said, looking more determined. "Elemental power… and a whole lot of it!"

The next landing wasn't the end either. Instead, another familiar figure was to greet them. "So, you have made it this far then," the Dark Knight said. "Admirable… but ultimately, a fruitless endeavor."

"Hey! I'll have you know I packed plenty of fruits," Recette declared. Everyone stared at her in disbelief, with Griff slapping his palm to his face.

"Merde… not now, Recette."

"I have my orders to stop you… but truth to be told, I am only interested in one of you right now." The Dark Knight raised his sword and pointed it at Louie. "I will fight you, swordsman. Draw your weapon."

"Fine by me," Louie said, readying his sword and shield.

"I will assist your fight," Elise said, Chante staying near.

"I'll back you up too, Louie," Recette said, drawing her own blade.

"Oh yeah, double the fairy power," Chante declared.

"You do realize that I am not the fighting type, correct," Tear said.

"While my only interest is in the swordsman, I don't mind if you wish to fall to my blade. Know that it is your own fault though." Four swords shined in the torchlight, prompting Griff to nudge the three remaining girls to the next staircase. None of the sword wielders moved, focusing on when to make the first strike.

As the remaining members of the group climbed, Sana couldn't help but to worry. "Will they be ok," she asked.

"They are strong, in their own rights. Except perhaps for Recette, but I surmise that moral support is just as important," Griff said. "Besides which, they knew the dangers of coming here. They are prepared to face the risk."

"They will be ok, Sana," Stella said reassuringly. "They definitely are strong, considering everything that has happened to us."

"Yeah," Arche said with confidence. "We saw them fight before! Those guys are adventurers after all!"

The next landing was once again empty, but they knew that it soon wouldn't be. A teleportation circle appeared in the middle of the room, revealing the last of the obstacles in their way. "Well… if it isn't the three brats. I can finally take my revenge on you!"

"You wish," Arche declared.

"We won't lose to a meanie like you," Chiffon said.

"I'd like to see you try this time! I'll be using my full power, so don't think-!"

"That will be enough, Selene," Griff said, stepping forwards.

"G-Griff!? You're… you're really here," she said unbelievably. "Why? Why are you helping the humans? What did they do to you?"

"They have done nothing, Selene," Griff said. "It is you who is walking the wrong path."

Selene looked appalled at what he said. "But… no, I'm doing the right thing! You don't understand Griff, with this demons can finally rise up again! This is your dream!"

"True, my dream is to see the demons rise up once more… but this isn't the right way to go about it Selene. You have been manipulated into doing the work of another."

"The work of… no, you don't understand! I'm only using those two to get what I want!"

"And what of the ones who control their movements, Selene! Isn't it strange that such a convenient plan could exist? Did you not think to question if there was a greater working to this all? Our King has perished after all!"

"I know that," Selene said coldly. "I am not being used… you are the one who is trying to trick me! Griff-sama… no, you are not Griff! Not the Griff that I looked up to! You used to loathe the humans, and now you join their side against your own kind! You are nothing but a traitor!" Selene prepared her magic to confront them all, as the three girls readied themselves.

"I challenge you to a Blood Duel." This simple sentence shocked Selene off her guard, so much that her magic dispelled.

"Griff, what are you-," Arche began, but was interrupted by Selene.

"A Blood Duel? Those were banned centuries ago!"

"And? It still doesn't stop me from issuing the challenge. You know the rules I'm sure… one on one, no outside help. They," he said pointing to the three, "go ahead, and we have our fight. Or do you wish to be the very first demon in history to refuse the challenge?"

Selene grinded her teeth in rage. The smart thing to do would be to deny the challenge, to stop them all from getting to the Elemental Kings' power. But Griff had attacked the one thing that all demons could not let go of, not completely; her pride. Even if she could successfully stop them, her reputation among the entirety of demon kind would be tarnished forever. No demon had ever refused the challenge.

One of the many reasons why it was outlawed in the first place.

"Very well… but I'll be coming after you three once I'm done here."

"Griff… be careful," Arche said worried.

"I'll be fine. You three… end this madness." The three girls nodded, running off to let the two demons have their long overdue fight.

* * *

"Everyone is working really hard to help us," Arche said.

"Yeah… I hope they will be okay," Sana said.

"Let's focus on what we can do right now. We have to get back the Elemental Kings' power," Stella said.

The three girls and Chiffon made it to the top, where they saw a large golden sphere of energy floating above an altar. Standing before it was a feminine figure with long blonde hair, wearing a sorcerer's robe. The figure turned to reveal a masked face that was completely white, with no markings save for the silts that allowed the person to see. A female voice echoed out at them.

"Welcome. So glad you could join me. You're just in time… to see the birth of a new god."


	27. Nature's Wrath

_A/N: What!? ANOTHER Double Chapter Update Weekend? Damn straight. Why? Why not? I'm a bit ahead of schedule so I thought I would treat you guys. Enjoy the first Boss Fight!  
_

**_Malandy: _**_I REALLY wish I could tell you if you were right or wrong, but I can't spoil the surprise. But I don't feel like leaving you completely in the dark, so I will answer one inquiry. No, Griff and Selene are NOT siblings. Don't worry, the extent of their relationship with one another will be explained in that Boss Fight Chapter. Look forward to it. Also, yeah, it happens. Even when I think I catch everything, some things still slip by. No Spell/Grammar check is perfect.  
_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 27: Nature's Wrath**_

* * *

_Nature was a cruel thing, indeed._

_This was not to say anything bad about it, no. Rather, one could say that nature was very honest and fair. It punished all equally, by whatever whims caught its fancy. Many could easily misinterpret this in saying that nature is unfair, because of her whims. But such thoughts were for the foolish and unprepared._

_He understood this. He did not berate nature when it took his parents away and left him to fend for himself in the jungle. He did what he had to do there to survive. He became one with the surroundings, with nature. He did all he could to survive whatever it threw at him, and he did it well. Living in the wild for many years changed a person. They grew to trust their instincts more and civilized society less._

_Which is why he found it strange, when he first saw her. A woman in robes, with a mask over her face, casually strolling through the jungle without a care in the world. The monsters did not approach her. In fact, he could almost swear they were afraid of her. Something deep within also told him to be wary, but he did not feel fear from her. There was no reason to fear her._

"_I know you have been watching me. Come out." He was surprised by how she had managed to sense his presence. Knowing that he could not fool her, he jumped out of the trees he was hiding in and landed before her._

"_You lost? You leave," he said in broken words. He had not spoken to another being in many years. Not since his parents had died._

"_I am not lost. I am right where I wish to be. I have been seeking you."_

_The man was surprised by this. "Seek me? Why?"_

"_Just call it a feeling," she said. "Might I ask your name?"_

"_Name," he parroted in confusion. He thought hard about it. He had not heard his own name been spoken in so long. Trying to think of it only led to a blank. "No name."_

"_A shame. Still, I wish for you to join me. I need some… help, regarding something I wish to do."_

"_Why help? No care," he said._

"_Then in that case… how about a challenge? If I win, you will help me. If I lose, I will leave you be." The man laughed at her upon hearing this. "I take it this means you accept?"_

"_Hah! Me strong! Me show you strength!"_

* * *

"Sparkburst!"

"Forest Defense!" Sauv pressed his hands onto the ground, causing several trees to rise up and protect against Caillou's spell. Several more continued to rise up, until the entire room looked more like a forest than anything. Sauv quickly jumped into the trees, taunting them. "Now, let's see how long you survive in my element."

"Everyone stick close," Elan said, looking around and keeping his back to Caillou and Tielle. "We don't know where he will attack from."

"Don't worry. Don't forget, I'm an Elf. This is my element too," Tielle said, aiming her bow at a gathering of leaves in a nearby tree and firing. Sauv quickly jumped out of the way, keeping himself hidden. Tielle kept her sharp eyes open for any possible threats as she scanned the treetops.

Suddenly several vines shot out, restraining Elan as they bound around his arms and legs. Elan pulled at them, straining his muscles, but the plant life refused to break. Caillou cast a quick and controlled fire spell to burn the vines away, but more were coming from the forest. "Not good," Caillou said, raising his staff. "Gemini!"

The seeking spell shot out into the canopy, forcing Sauv to stop his own as they struck at him. Tielle rapidly fired arrows out in the general direction he was in, hoping for a quick strike. Most missed, while the rest were blocked by the man's poison darts. "Come out, you coward!"

"Oh? Trying to use an advantage makes me a coward," Sauv questioned, his voice echoing around them. "I wonder, does it mean that you are a coward for fighting with a bow? Or is the mage a coward for using magic? Don't be spoilsports," he teased out, laughing at them. "Piercing Thorns!"

Thorn-like protrusions shot out towards them, with Elan and Tielle dodging while Caillou teleported away. The Elf had jumped onto a branch, but was immediately struck in the back, as Sauv attacked her with his dagger. "Got you!"

Fighting the pain, Tielle swiftly turned and fired at him point blank, but the man was quickly able to twist away and dodge, the pain slowing Tielle and allowing him the chance to evade. Sauv blew out more darts at her, causing her to jump around to dodge them, though she continuously was stressing her injury more and more with every move. She would need to heal and quickly.

"End of the line," Sauv shouted as Tielle lost her balance and staggered on one of the branches of the trees. Before he could ensure a fatal blow though, Caillou had teleported in front of him, with Elan at his side.

"HYAH!" The attack was sudden, as Elan smashed his fist into Sauv's mask, shattering it on impact and knocking him down and off the trees to the ground. "Nice job. You ok, Caillou?"

"Fine. That wore me out a bit though. I'm not used to teleporting more than just myself," he said, catching his breath.

"Hang on, Tielle," Elan said getting some herbs out. "This should help you." All the while Sauv stared up at the ceiling, looking lost in thought.

* * *

_He panted, struggling for breath as he fell to his knees. The woman before him had not even looked winded. She didn't look like she had fought at all. But the evidence of the destruction around them made it plain to see a battle had indeed taken place._

"_As I thought… you were fairly tough. I'm surprised you lasted as long as you have against me. But this fight is over."_

"_How… how are… you strong," he asked, clearly unable to believe that he had lost._

"_It's nothing you need to worry about. But you will need to be stronger, if you wish to be of good assistance to me. For now though… I think a reward is in order. A new you is needed, to symbolize your loyalty to me. From this moment on, you are to be called, Sauv. A fitting name for one such as yourself."_

"_Sauv…?"_

"_Yes. Now come. We have much work to do, and such precious little time to do it in." The woman turned and walked away, not even looking back. She expected him to follow, he knew. And from her walk, it was if she knew that he would indeed follow, though he made no such promise to do so. It would be easy to walk away from her._

_But his instincts spoke otherwise. And he always believed in them._

…

…

…

"_So, this is what you think?"_

"_Indeed! Like I would ever let that humiliation go! You shamed me in my element, so I won't ever forgive that. The only reason I follow you is because you are still stronger than me. That's all."_

_The masked woman looked to Sauv and laughed lightly. "So honest… I like that about you. In that case, why don't I help give you more of an edge?" With that, she held up a yellow stone that glowed with power._

"_What's that?"_

"_This, my dear, is called an Elemental Stone. I suggest you learn how to use it well… otherwise, you will find yourself in a world of trouble. Not that you wouldn't go looking for it yourself anyway."_

_The woman tossed the stone to him, to which he caught it easily. He stared at the stone, feeling the enormous power that dwelled just beneath the surface. "Heh. It's not my fault I attract the strong ones. But I need to keep searching for them… I need to be stronger still." He turned and walked away from her. For now, he had some searching to do._

_The Elemental King of Earth was not going to find itself after all._

* * *

Sauv stood up, rubbing his now exposed face. "Damn… that's one more worthy one who was able to break my mask." He couldn't help but grin at that. Pensee was truly filled with worthy foes after all. But this time, he knew he couldn't keep playing around. He pulled out the Elemental Stone on his person, hanging from a strip of cloth that he attached around his neck like a pendant. The stone was the only thing that was protecting him from the power of the Dark World.

It was a special one, after all. The Elemental Stone Terra, bearing the power of Elemental King Ignus.

In all honesty, he disliked having to use the thing. It was a cheap means of gaining power, but it didn't mean he was above using it when he absolutely needed to. And this time, he knew he absolutely needed to. There was no chance of winning this fight without it. He couldn't play around, now that the goal was in sight.

The stone shined brightly, filling him up with power. His three opponents looked shocked to see him standing with it around his neck. "Piercing Thorns!" Even larger thorns began to shoot out from the ground, this time their size and destructive force uprooting the trees he had conjured. Caillou quickly teleported all three of them to safety, though he looked winded afterwards. "You won't escape me! Frenzy Vine!" Several vines shot out to bind them all once more, an even greater amount than what had temporarily trapped Elan.

Caillou unleashed flames while Tielle froze as many as she could in place with her Ice Arrows. This was going to go nowhere fast, as Caillou was running out of steam and hadn't had a chance to recover much energy. Tielle was also slowly starting to run out of arrows, down to her last hundred. Elan's Chi Blasts were helping, but with the Elemental Stone powering Sauv's abilities, they would run out of options quickly.

"Caillou, can you teleport just me close to him," Elan said. "I might be able to end this if I can just get a few up close hits on him."

"It might not work," Caillou said. "It's a big gamble your taking."

"We gotta try something," Elan said. "Tielle, can you provide a distraction?"

"Yeah. Just whack him good for me!" The Elf charged, firing more arrows as she got closer to Sauv. The wild man's tattoos began to glow with power.

"Foolish move! Earth's Embrace!" The ground rose up, trapping Tielle's ankles as she cried out in surprise, the ground continuing to rise up and threaten to swallow her whole. He twisted around and caught Elan's punch, just before it could land. Elan was surprised that he had known he was coming, even more so that his attack could be stopped. "Nice try, but did you really think that would work?"

Elan's shock suddenly turned into a grin, as he launched his other fist at him, only to be caught again. "Actually, yes. Now Caillou!"

Sauv's eyes widened as he figured out their plan just a few moments too late. The magic he had felt, thinking it to be Elan having teleported in, had yet to fade. "Element Release!" The energy shot out beneath the two, harming Sauv but keeping Elan safe. He shouted out in pain, growling out in anger as the spell ended prematurely, Caillou barely having enough energy to maintain it. It hadn't mattered as it allowed Elan to unleash the full combo of his punches.

Sauv was knocked back, and he quickly fell to his knees, panting for breath. The spell around Tielle faded, freeing her completely. Elan stepped up, as the Elf helped Caillou onto his feet. "Give up. It's over."

Sauv growled out in frustration, but his energy was drained. For some reason, the Elemental Stone no longer responded to him. His eyes closed, but he found he no longer cared. "Damn you… such power…"

"Why would you even be doing this? What do you have to gain from it," Caillou asked. "Are you really that power hungry?"

Sauv was quiet for a moment, before shaking his head. "No… the Elf was right… I'm… just a coward after all." The three were surprised by this statement. "I lost to her… I never cared about her goals or what she wanted. But I followed her because my instincts told me to. I wanted to survive, so I did what I had to do in order to do it."

"Who is she," Tielle asked. "Who is that person who is responsible for everything?"

"I don't know. I never bothered to ask her." He went quiet for a moment before removing the Elemental Stone from around his neck. "You know… I always meant to betray her at some point. But… I could not fight my fear of her… I could not fight my instincts. In the end, perhaps I never would have been able to break free… but you three might be able to." He threw the Elemental Stone at them, to which Elan caught it.

"What's this?"

"That is the Elemental Stone that contains the Elemental Earth King's power," he said to their surprise. "I have a feeling… that you can unlock its true potential better than I ever could." As he spoke, the group was shocked to see his body was slowly turning into stone.

"The Dark World is-!"

"This is… my fate. The fate of… a coward. I have… no right to request this… but stop her… before everything…" As the rest of his body became encased in stone, his words died in his throat.

_I… do not regret it. I was able to fight… so many strong people. I was able to learn so much of the world that the forest couldn't teach me. And in the end…_

_Nature… is wondrous…_

The three stared at the unmoving statue of Sauv, confused and somewhat relieved. Elan looked at the Elemental Stone and gave a sigh before pocketing it. "Well, we won… somehow."

"Yeah. But I really should rest," Caillou said, sitting down. He looked at Sauv for a long moment. "What should we do with him?"

"Can't we just leave him," Tielle said, angry. "He kind of deserves it."

"I doubt anyone deserves that kind of a fate," Caillou argued.

"Either way, we-." But Elan's words were cut off as the tower they were in shook with a powerful force. Everyone fell down, save the stone statue of Sauv that barely moved. "What the hell was that?"

"Ah!" Caillou looked up, panicked. "A huge Elemental power… I just felt it spike! Something is going on up there. And whatever it is, it isn't good."

"Ok, Tielle, you cover Caillou and head back down to the others," Elan said. "Right now, I'm the only one in any shape to keep going. Hopefully Louie and the others will be ok and I can give the Elemental Stone to them, see if it will help."

"Stay safe," Tielle said as Elan ran up and out of sight. "Come on, up you go," Tielle said, helping Caillou to stand and having him lean on her. She took one last look at the immobile Sauv before turning and walking away. For now, the rest was in the hands of her friends.


	28. Knight's Loyalty

_A/N: Oh yes... I have been eagerly waiting to get this chapter out. I've been on fire with writing this last week. Probably from all the excitement. But this chapter... oh yes, this chapter will have a reveal so twisting and shocking... you can only ask yourself one thing.  
_

_'Is Snidne evil?'_

_ Yes, yes I am._

**_Malandy_ \- **_Yeah, Sauv is human. Glad that was cleared up. And interesting facts aside, I don't really think what I mentioned about Griff and Selene was that big a reveal. Besides which, I never intended on them being related like that anyway. As for readers... well, I'm sure there are at least 6 or so people reading this, even if they don't comment... or like... or follow... well, they read, and considering that this is a category that most people probably aren't aware exists on this site, that alone says something._

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 28: Knight's Loyalty**_

* * *

Four figures stood weapons drawn and ready to strike. Each one was waiting for the perfect moment, the single drop or hesitance in a person's guard that would allow the first strike to be made. It was critical that mistakes couldn't be made here.

Louie and Elise charged at the same time, striking from two different angles. The Dark Knight did not falter, stepping back and swinging his sword in a wide arc, deflecting the two strikes. Recette stood back, simply biding her time. "Tear… do you think this will work?"

"Well… we can only try," Tear said. Though a fairy, Tear had been born and raised among humans and from childhood had learned human ways. Which meant that most Fae magic was inaccessible to Recette's trusted helper. However, her body had begun remembering as Recette absorbed the power of the Magic Crystals.

Still, while she wasn't the fighting type, she knew some ways to help Recette cope. Preparing her spell, the duo rushed in as soon as the Knight's back was turned on them. Recette gave a loud battle cry, but had underestimated the speed of the Knight. With a quick turn, he brought his blade down and sliced right through the unsuspecting girl.

But the Dark Knight was surprised by the fact that the blade had literally gone through her without any signs of damage. The shock was enough to give Louie and _another_ Recette a free strike at his back, causing him to stagger and twist around to strike with a Vacuum Cut, which Louie countered with his own.

"Water!"

"Knight's Resolve!" The Dark Knight charged, completely ignoring Elise and Chante's spell as he slashed at the duo. Elise brought her sword up, trying to counter his technique but the blows were too heavy. The best she could do was redirecting the deadly strikes against her. "Cleaver Strike!" The Knight's blade glowed with power, and Elise knew she could not block this strike, leaving her to dodge. The strike hit the ground hard, sending shrapnel of the ground at her as it pelted her side.

"Damn… not good," she said, trying to ignore the sting as Chante worked to getting the pieces out and healing them.

Louie rushed in, as the two swordsmen dueled with their blades. The Dark Knight swung his blade again with another 'Cleaver Strike', but Louie was prepared. "Shield Bash!" Drawing energy into his shield, Louie was able to successfully block the strike, and hit back with a slash of his own, forcing the Knight back again. Recette once again charged in, but the Dark Knight saw another one coming from behind. Knowing the trick already, he knew he had one chance to hit the right target.

He turned and swung at the Recette charging from behind, but halfway through his swing he knew he had been mistaken. His back was slashed at again, his armor protecting him from the worst of it, but it still stung. He turned again, only to dodge at Elise's attempted stab at his face.

"I am getting quite annoyed by your tricks, Fae! Supreme Vacuum Cut!" Everyone ducked as the Dark Knight unleashed his strike, the power leaving a deep gash in the walls around them.

"I assure you, you have not seen the full extent of our strength," Tear said. "Go, Recette!"

"Right! Fairy Cut!" Recette swung her blade, unleashing her own version of the Vacuum Cut, as a wave of magical energy shot out towards the Knight. Undeterred though, the Knight smashed through the attack, charging at the girl. Elise was there to intervene though, striking at him with all her might.

With the three of them striking at random intervals, each time one would fight the Knight it would give the other two time to rest for even a few brief moments. But the Dark Knight was too focused to lose to a simple endurance match. Soon, both Louie and Elise were focused on fighting at the same time to keep pace with the Knight's fighting style. The flow of the battle was shifting to the Knight and they needed a means of keeping it from increasing in his favor.

Unfortunately, Tear was starting to feel the strain of having to cast spells that she never had used before, which would limit Recette's usefulness on the battlefield. Chante wasn't able to help much either, empowering Elise's sword was about all she could do without having to burn through the rest of her Magic Crystals. There was still no telling what other things were waiting for them up ahead, and having as many Magic Crystals in reserve would be a boon for them to keep battles in their favor.

The three backed away from one another, Louie and Elise starting to get winded, but the Knight still standing strong. "I admit I did not expect you to last as long as you have. You have my respect." Louie didn't bother to answer. Perhaps it was being in the Dark World, but he could swear that the Knight wasn't this tough when he fought him on the island. Then again, it wasn't as if that fight had been easy.

"Chante, I think we need to try that move," Elise said.

"You sure? I mean, we haven't even gotten a chance to practice it," her sister said somewhat worried.

"Maybe, but it might just be what we need to tip the battle in our favor. Louie, can you keep him busy for about ten seconds?"

"Hey, I can keep him busy all day. Not that I really want to, but ten seconds is enough." Louie charged in, shouting out as he did so. A powerful aura surrounded him as he did.

"Don't think you can best me!" And aura surrounded the Dark Knight as well, as the two clashed blades. The ringing sound of steel echoed out as the force behind their attacks was enough to displace the air around them. Both strained against each other to attain the upper hand, and Louie couldn't help but grin at the fact that he was now on somewhat equal ground. "Cleaver Strike!" Louie's eyes widened as the Knight slammed down again, this time with enough force to cause Louie to take a knee. Sweat was pouring down his forehead as he felt his blade get pushed back, the sharp edge of the Knight's sword getting closer to his head.

"Fairy Cut!" The Dark Knight was faltered slightly by Recette's distance attack, which allowed Louie a chance to pull away.

"Cleaver Strike!" The Dark Knight quickly raised his sword, as his own technique was used against him by Louie. "Not a bad move! I think I pull it off better!"

"Think you are clever, don't you?" The Knight pushed him back and struck, leaving a shallow cut on Louie's chest. "You did a good job grasping the mechanics of that move, but you're a hundred years too early to think you can best me with my own techniques!"

"Then how about this one," Elise said, brandishing her sword. Louie looked to it in amazement, as the sword was now glowing a multitude of colors and looked to be almost twice as long as before. "Fairy Sword!" Elise charged to which the Knight responded by slashing at her. To everyone's surprise, a pair of transparent wings erupted from Elise's back, similar in appearance to Chante's, as she jumped over the strike and slashed at the Knight's helmet.

"Gah!" Elise landed behind the Knight, as a glowing cut could be seen on the Knight's headpiece. Suddenly a cracking sound could be heard, as the Knight's helmet shattered, revealing the face underneath. "My… my helmet! How did you break it!?" Everyone looked in shock at the swordsman on seeing his true face.

Because suddenly, swords_man_ was the wrong word.

A feminine face looked at them, slightly long brown hair and green eyes gazing at them. Louie could only imagine that the helmet had played some part in disguising this person's voice, because it was the only possible conclusion to why he was suddenly faced with the realization that the Dark Knight had been, this entire time, a woman.

"Wait, that's a woman," Chante said disbelievingly. "No way! She clearly sounded like a man before!"

"A Knight has no gender," she said, glaring at the Fae. Somehow, now that they could see her eyes for the first time, it felt much scarier than when the Knight still had his helmet on.

"She's right, Chante," Elise said, holding her still empowered sword. "We have a fight to finish!"

There was a clattering of a sword falling to the ground, the sound drawing Louie's attention to Recette, who was staring at the woman in shock and disbelief. Tears welled up in her eyes as her body seemed to tremble. Then she spoke but a single word that complicated the battle more than he ever thought possible.

"Mom…?"

Everyone stared at her in shock, before turning to the Knight once more. Louie could faintly see the resemblance to Recette and was surprised he didn't pick it up sooner. His body stiffened at the thought that yes, he had been fighting someone who could easily be Recette's mother. Thousands of questions poured into his head.

And then, after over fifteen years, mother and daughter locked eyes on the battlefield.

* * *

_Annette Lemongrass walked casually through Pensee's Marketplace, looking for things to buy for tonight's dinner. She was strolling alone, her beautiful and bouncing baby daughter at home having a bit of bonding time with her father. The two had adored their child, doting on her whenever they could. She was a bit of a handful, as all babies were, but Annette wouldn't complain for anything. She loved her daughter with all her being._

_Annette picked out some carrots and leeks for a simple stew, paying the merchant and keeping an eye out for any other things that might go well with them. "Ah, Miss Lemongrass! Shopping I see?" Annette looked up to see the resident Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild walking towards her._

"_Ah, hello Guild Master," she said politely. "Yes, I was just getting a few things for supper tonight. Are you also shopping as well?"_

"_Yeah, getting an anniversary gift for the wife. It's coming up soon, so I figure I should be ready. How's your daughter?"_

"_Recette's doing wonderful, thank you for asking. It's a bit difficult being a full time mother now, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."_

"_Glad to hear it! But you know if you ever wanted to down the line, you could take back your old position. We're friends, so I doubt the paperwork would be much of a hassle."_

_Annette smiled wistfully, thinking briefly of the past. "Thank you. But I will still stand by what I said. My adventuring days are over now. I'd much rather look forward to seeing my baby girl grow up than poke around dungeons all my life."_

_The Guild Master nodded in understanding. "I hear you. Still, it's hard to imagine that the 'Unbreakable Wall' really is retired. I'll admit, a lot of clients really liked hiring you," he said. "But I'm glad you're happy with your choice. Now, I think I've taken up enough of your time. Have a good day, Miss Lemongrass."_

_The two parted ways with friendly smiles as Annette began to make her way back home. As she walked along the path, noting the setting sun, her gaze drifted to see an individual lying on the ground. Annette gasped, thinking the stranger was injured as she made her way to them. The person had long, blonde hair and was wearing a set of robes that defined them as a spell caster of some kind. She placed her hand on the person's shoulder, turning them around. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"_

_She did not get an answer. Rather, she only had time to briefly gaze into a mask of white as her senses picked up powerful magic before she blacked out._

…

…

…

_That day, was the last day that anyone in Pensee had seen Annette Lemongrass. Though people searched far and wide, none could find her, leaving behind a young child to be raised by her father for most of her life, before he too decided to head out and leave her behind with nothing but a massive debt and uncertain future._

…

…

…

_When Annette next woke, she was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar walls. Her head was ringing, mind fussy as she tried to recall what had happened. However, she only drew a blank, unable to remember what she had been doing. In fact, aside from her name, she could not recall anything about herself. She started to panic, a feeling of helplessness overcoming her._

"_Ah, you are awake. Good, I was hoping the spell would work."_

_Annette turned to see what appeared to be a woman wearing a white mask, looking at her. She was wary of her, but realized that she might know of what happened to her. "What spell? Who are you and why am I here? Where am I?"_

"_Why, the spell I used to save your life," the mysterious woman said, lying easily. "You were in quite a state. I was unsure if you were going to make it or not. Thankfully, you have pulled through." The woman walked up to her and placed her hand on Annette's forehead, as if to gage her temperature. "That said… I am merely a humble sorceress, and this is my abode. For the moment, anyway."_

"_I… see." Annette was calming down now, but there were still many questions floating in her mind. "So, why was I… or rather, why can't I remember anything? Was I attacked?"_

"_Indeed," she said, nodding sadly. "As for why you cannot recall, I cannot say I am certain… but I have heard that sometimes, people will block out traumatic experiences to keep a peace of mind. Perhaps this is what happened to you." Inwardly the woman smiled behind the mask. The spell had been a success, for now. But there was still one thing to test. "I am glad you are okay, my Knight."_

"_Knight? I am… a knight?" Annette was confused. That statement somehow didn't sound right._

"_Of course. Here," the sorceress said, walking over to the side where a large sword was standing up against the wall. Annette was surprised she had missed it, but then realized that it was possible she didn't notice due to her panicked state. The woman grabbed the sword and handed it to her._

_Annette took the blade, surprised that she could handle it with some ease. She gave a few test swings, before frowning. "The balance of this weapon is off." Her eyes widened. How did she know this? And why had she said it so normally?_

"_See? Your body remembers, even though the mind cannot." Annette faced the masked woman looking to her in confusion and possibly hope. "My Dear Knight… considering that I have saved your life, I wish for you to help me with something. Something quite dangerous but ultimately necessary to ensure the safety of the world." Annette's eyes widened at that._

"_I'm not sure what I can do…"_

"_Relax. Allow me to explain…"_

* * *

_Annette walked up to the masked woman, kneeling once she had reached her. "I have come to answer your summons. What do you need, Master?"_

"_I come with two things for you," the masked woman said, raising her hand. "First… a gift. For your loyalty." Magic began to surround Annette, until she found herself encased in a black armor. Surprised, the woman looked over herself, her body completely covered from head to toe. "This enchanted armor is much more resistant to damage. It will also come in handy for our campaign into the Dark World, as it will allow you to resist the power it has over ordinary people. Our mission is set to begin soon."_

"_Thank you, Master," Annette said, surprised to hear her voice sounding much more masculine than before through the helmet, but quickly adjusting. "And the other thing?"_

"_Yes. Enter," she said, and a side door opened to reveal a man, walking up to her. There was a wild look in his eyes, as he stared down at Annette. "I'd like you to meet our newest member to the group. This is Sauv. He will be assisting you in your missions to complete our plan. Sauv, this is the Dark Knight. Do try to get along, won't you?"_

_The man, Sauv, stared at Annette, who recognized the fact that she would now be referred to simply as the Dark Knight. She nodded and held up a hand to shake. "It will be good working with you." She had not expected an attack, which she quickly blocked, as Sauv threw a wild punch at her. Another punch was caught, as she tossed Sauv over her shoulder. She was surprised that he managed to turn himself around to land on his feet._

"_Nice! You're strong, that's good. I guess that means we should be good," he said with a grin over his face._

"_You will have to excuse him. He hasn't had much contact with the modern world," the sorceress said._

"_It's… fine, Master," she said. She could deal with this, if she had to. After all, she had a duty to complete, as her Master's loyal Knight._

* * *

The battle was at a standstill as Recette and Annette gazed at one another for the first time in a very long time. The girl had few precious memories of her mother, never knowing her completely. Her father barely mentioned her. Tear was also in complete surprise. According to what she knew about Recette from her old job through Terme Finance, Recette's mother had been declared deceased for some time now. Yet she looked remarkably like the only picture she had ever seen of her. There were almost no records of what her mother had done before her mysterious disappearance, at least none that she had been able to find. But it still begged the question of why she was here, and why she was fighting on the enemy side.

Recette cared nothing for that. This was a woman she had not seen in so long, so she couldn't help but walk towards her. "Mom… is it really you? This isn't a dream?"

Louie's eyes widened. Recette, blinded by tears and overwhelming emotions, had missed the subtle movement. But he hadn't. "Recette, no!"

Louie didn't recall moving. He didn't recall thinking, simply acting. For the next moment, he had tackled Recette out of the way, as the woman had made a quick slash with her sword, cutting open Louie's back. Recette's eyes widened, shock at seeing Louie being heavily injured, but even more so at the fact that her own mother had just tried to cut her down.

"LOUIE!"

Annette turned quickly, but it was too late. Elise slashed her sword, still powered up, breaking through her armor and exposing her body to the elements to see she was wearing ordinary clothing underneath. The force and shock was enough to knock the woman to the ground, where she hit her head hard enough to knock her out.

"Recette! Recette, snap out of it," Tear shouted at her, as the young girl fell to her knees, her body going into shock. "Merde… forgive me Recette." With all the force she could muster, she slapped Recette's cheek as hard as she could.

"AH! T-Tear!?"

"Recette, medicine quickly! Louie is going to die if we don't do something!" The urgency of the situation was enough to shock her into action. The thought of losing Louie drove her to quickly dive into her pack. Louie was losing a lot of blood and fast. She gathered the gauze and medicine, but her hands were shaking too much. She could feel her world collapsing around her, as though she were grasping at straws to keep it together.

"Here, let me help," Elise said, working with Recette to try and work as quickly as they could. "Chante, magical support now!"

"On it," she said, taking a quick glance to the fallen Knight. Without the armor, her body was already turning into stone due to the Dark World's power. She could only shudder as she tried to take everything in. "Man, this is so messed up…"

"Not now Chante!"

For several minutes they worked, Chante and Tear using their magic to stabilize Louie's body while Recette and Elise applied medical treatment. It was the most terrifying moments of Recette's life; not even the threat of being homeless had instilled this much fear into her.

"I think he's stable… for now," Elise said, wiping her hands clean. She was shaking slightly. It had been far too close of a call. Recette hugged Louie's limp body, and could no longer stop the tears from flowing.

"What now? There's no way we can keep going like this," Chante said.

"I know… Everything is-!" But her words were cut short when the tower started to shake. Everyone panicked as both Chante and Tear quickly looked up, feeling a great shift in Elemental energy. "What was that?"

"Sis… something big just happened up there. This isn't good."

"Merde… can we even afford to investigate? There is no way we can leave Louie behind, and with Recette's mental state…" Tear frowned. She could not help but think she had failed in her role of watching out for Recette. Not with the situation as it stood.

"Louie should live… no telling when he'll wake up, but he will be fine eventually. But there is that woman…" Elise gave a frustrated shout. Chante frowned at this; she was the hot-headed one in the family, so she knew it was really bad when Elise was getting stressed out.

They were stuck, and could only hope that everyone else was doing okay on their own.

Elise jumped up at the sound of footsteps coming the staircase that lead down, meaning someone was coming up. Elise tensed, knowing she was the only one in any kind of condition to be fighting. The tension melted away when she saw who had ascended the stairs though. "Elan!"

"Hey! You guys okay," Elan asked, walking up to them. Taking in their reactions, he grimaced. "I'll take that as a no." His gaze turned to Louie and Recette, the former looking deathly pale. "Oy, what the hell happened?"

"It's a long story and we don't have time to tell it. I take it you finished up your battle," Tear asked, to which she received a nod. "Good. Elise, you and your sister head on up. Elan can help here," the fairy said with authority.

"Are you sure," Chante asked. She was really worried about Recette as well.

"Right now, you two are the best option for back up. I need to stay and make sure Recette will be okay. She needs me right now, and someone has to explain the situation to Elan." The monk nodded, heading over to Recette and speaking softly to her. The three couldn't hear what was being said, but Recette broke into fresh sobs and tears, to which Elan put a comforting arm around her.

"Ok… ok, we can do this. Let's go, Chante," Elise said.

"Wait," Elan said, causing them to pause. "You'll need this," he said, tossing them the Elemental Stone he received from Sauv. The three's eyes widened in shock at seeing the stone, but knew now wasn't the time for questions. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Elise tied the pendant around her neck and quickly made off with Chante onwards and upwards.

"Sis," Chante said, her tone conveying her feelings.

"I know, Chante. I don't like it either." Indeed, leaving Louie and Recette behind, especially in such states, gave a bad taste in her mouth. She could trust Elan to help them though, as best as possible. "Right now though… we have to focus. Everything is riding on this."

But Elise and Chante could not help but think just how much more this whole endeavor was going to cost them in the end.

* * *

_New Character Unlocked!_

_Recette Lemongrass - A young woman who opened an Item Shop, tries her best on the battlefield! A bit inexperienced, but lots of potential._

_Stats - Recette possesses below-average base health and attack damage, and can only wield light swords, leaving her without many options in attacking. However, she does have greater Magic, Resist, and SP than the average swordsman thanks to Tear, which allow her to use her Special Moves much more often and effectively. Slightly faster attack speed than Louie._

* * *

_New Abilities unlocked!_

_Recette Secret Passive - Basic Stance_

_Description: The basic of the basics, as taught by Louie._

_Effect: Recette takes reduced damage from Knockdown attacks and recovers from Knockdowns faster than others. Recovering from Knockdown grants Recette 1 extra second of invincibility frames than normal._

_Recette - 'Tear'ful Illusion_

_SP Cost: 15_

_Description: When one Recette isn't enough, two shall make due! But is the world ready for two of them...?_

_Effect: Tear casts an illusion causing a copy of Recette to appear that will act on its own, but stay within Recette's line of sight. The copy cannot deal or take damage, but will draw monster aggression to itself and away from the original. Lasts for 20 seconds._

_Recette - Fairy Cut_

_SP Cost: 10_

_Description: A long distance swipe! But with fairies! And Magic! And... stuff!_

_Effect: Unleashes a 'Vacuum Cut' ability at an enemy. It behaves exactly like the Vacuum Cut, but its damage is based on Recette's Magic Stat rather than her Attack Stat._

_Recette - Quick Buy (Not Seen)_

_Cost: 2500 Pix_

_Description: Buy a item through the Secret Merchant's Market! Like the Black Market, but more legal. Capitalism ho!_

_Effect: Randomly causes a healing item to appear in front of Recette. Taking the item will use it immediately instead of placing it in the pack. The lower the base market cost of the item, the higher chance it will appear. _

_Louie - Shield Bash_

_SP Cost: 10_

_Description: Louie charges forward, shield at the ready!_

_Effect: Launches Louie forwards shield first, knocking back the first enemy he hits. Projectile attacks can be blocked by this attack in the direction he faces._

_Louie - Cleaver Strike_

_SP Cost: 10_

_Description: A powerful overhead strike, nonsensical shouting not included. Probably copyrighted by some guy in green._

_Effect: A powerful swing that deals 1.5x damage to all enemies in front of him. If charged for 1 sec, will cause Louie to 'jump' forward and deal 2x damage on enemies. Creates a 0.8 second delay afterwards._

_Elise - Fairy Sword_

_Cost: 1 Fire, Water, Earth, &amp; Wind Magic Crystal_

_Description: Unleashes the full fury of Chante's power._

_Effect: After charging, empowers Elise's blade allowing her to deal more damage and have a longer reach. Attacks ignore enemy armor and other spells can be cast to further enhance her blade. Requires 10 seconds of charging. Lasts for 2 minutes._


	29. Demonic Duel

_A/N: Man I have been on a roll these last few weeks. The exciting battles just keep on coming. We are at the endgame folks. But don't get too comfy just yet. PLENTY of things to still come, including the final battle!  
_

**_Malandy:_**_ You have yet to see the true depth of my evilness. But time will tell for your inquiries. The answers will be revealed soon enough. And what do you mean two more chapters and its over? I'll have you know that this final epic boss fight cannot be contained in a single chapter. No, we are going to need at least 3 chapters to flesh this out properly. Besides, a lot of games always have the 'This isn't even my final form' types of final boss battles where you think its over and BAM a new challenge arises._

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 29: Demonic Duel**_

* * *

_Demons do not love._

_This is, of course, a common misconception born out of human ignorance. Though love can indeed be seen as a weakness that is exploitable within the Dark World, it doesn't mean that demons are incapable of love. To say such a thing would be to say that demons are lesser beings incapable of such complex and diverse emotions, a statement that would get one killed by any demon they ran across._

_Demons did not love freely, at least, not in the Dark World. And demons did not always love only demons._

_Hybrids had existed since long ago for the demon race, sometimes out of love or sometimes out of necessity. Most Demon Hybrids were of other similarly strong races, such as Devils and Elves. Griff had been the one exception to this, the day his father fell in love with a human._

_Such love was forbidden though. As a Demon General, his father had a status that demanded much of his dedication and the need to have pure demon children. But love cared for none of that. And so he had threatened everything he had stood for, in courting a young human woman. And together, they had a single child, Griff, whom they could love._

_But it was not meant to be._

_Tragedy struck. The reason that demons and humans did not have children together stemmed not from their rivalry which had all but ended centuries ago; rather, human women could not bear a demon child to term, often ending in both the mother and child losing their lives. Griff's mother struggled and defied the odds, giving birth to the baby Griff, but not an hour later, she died. Even as her life ebbed away, she struggled to convey all the love she had for her child in that short span, cradling the baby Griff to her breast._

_Thankfully, Griff had been born with enough of his demonic traits that he was able to be taken and raised in the Dark World without problem. And though he was known to be a Hybrid Demon, no one save his father had known that the other half was human._

_And thus it was to remain that way._

* * *

Griff charged in, claws at the ready to strike with inhuman speed. Selene summoned a barrier, but backed off immediately, knowing it would only slow Griff down temporarily at best. The Half Demon smashed through the obstacle and continued his charge onto the Dark Witch. Selene weaved and dodged as best she could against Griff's relentless strikes.

Selene unleashed a sphere of electric power at him, pushing him back for a bit before he knocked it away. Continuing her assault, Selene summoned several smaller spheres and launched them at Griff, to which he batted them away even as he charged in again. Griff's style of fighting was direct close combat, while Selene had much more variety in long-range battles. But Griff was older, stronger and more combat experienced than her, and they both knew it. If he was allowed to get even a few strikes in, the battle would be over soon.

Selene created a wall of flames, but it was ignored entirely as Griff thrust his claw at her. She dived to the side, as Griff's charge continued to the wall behind her, smashing into it and leaving a small crater from the impact. Selene summoned her magic hammer and smashed it into Griff's back, knocking him into the wall. He gave a shout of pain, before another of power as a dark aura surrounded him. He struck out, striking the Dark Witch in the chest and knocking her back with a cry of pain.

Selene rubbed the spot where she had been struck. It stung, but wouldn't hinder her much. Still, she knew that she couldn't take many more of those and resolved to keep her distance. A swarm of Eyebats came at her, to which she destroyed them easily with magic. It was a distraction though, as Griff closed the distance with his inhuman speed, poised to strike her from behind. His claw found empty air as Selene managed a quick teleport to another part of the room.

Selene summoned three black panthers to aid her, but they did not last long, as Griff used his Vampire Vortex to end them and restore some of his power. Griff's Dark Claw sent him forwards, to which Selene countered with her hammer. The two forces met and knocked each other back. Both demons glared at one another, each one fiercely trying to one-up the other.

Selene could not help but be in awe though. She had always known that Griff was strong, he had proven that to her many times before. Undoubtedly, he was the strongest demon of his generation, though considering the effort most demons put in, it wasn't saying much. It was impressive as always to watch though, and she despised the fact that it was being used against her of all things.

She never would have imaged this would come about, the first time she had spoken with him.

* * *

_Selene watched from the shadows as, once again, the demon Griff stepped into the clearing and began his training. He had been doing this for weeks now, and Selene had been watching him ever since she first stumbled onto his secret training grounds._

_She was always amazed at how ruthless and efficient he tried to be in his technique. From the moment she laid eyes on him, she was captivated. He worked so much harder, pushed himself so much more than any other demon she knew. He was already leagues ahead of the others he associated with, and yet still he pushed to improve himself. She couldn't imagine what drove him to stretch his limits time and again._

_This time though, would be different, she told herself. This time, she would talk to him. She took up all her courage and revealed herself to him. Immediately she was knocked down, Griff kneeling over her with his claw weapons at her throat. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"_

"_W-w-wait! I didn't mean to interrupt. My name is Selene. I saw you training and was… inspired."_

_Griff studied her for a moment before getting up and helping her to her feet. "If you have the time to be watching me train, then you should train yourself. Demons are meant to be strong, and you won't get stronger unless you put in the work yourself."_

"_I know. But I was hoping… you see, maybe… we could train together?" Griff looked at her in silence, prompting her to continue. "I mean, I don't want to be rude or anything. I promise I'll train really hard too! I'm not that physically strong, but I've been told I have an adaptability for magic."_

"_Why?" Selene looked startled at his words. "Why do you wish to train with me?"_

"_Well… I've noticed you train a lot more than other demons in the city… you really put a lot of effort into it. I want to be strong too, like you Griff."_

"_Hmph… so you know my name. Then you must know of my father." Selene nodded. It was common knowledge that Griff's father was one of the esteemed Demon Generals. "I must be strong, to make my father proud. The amount of training and study we do at the Academy isn't enough. I need more, to rise up in this world. To achieve my goals."_

"_That! That is what I admire about you! Please, let me train with you! Help me get stronger!"_

_Griff stared her down, and Selene fought the urge to turn her head away. "If you wish to join me, then that is your choice. Just do not get in my way." Selene nodded, but inside she was ecstatic. She vowed, then and there, she would make him recognize her as a fellow demon._

…

…

…

"_Griff… what is your goal anyway?"_

_Griff and Selene had just finished sparing, with Griff coming out the winner as usual. Griff looked up to the sky, silent for a moment. "I want the demons to rise up again… I grew up hearing about the great victories and battles of our race. The Humans, who were our sworn enemies… I will make us strong once more, and put the humans into their place."_

"_It sounds hard," Selene said. Most demons had given up the times of battle, and lived in relative peace. They no longer cared for the concerns of humans, content with living their lives in the Dark World. "Most demons aren't nearly as driven as they used to be about strength."_

"_I know. It won't be easy. But I will see the demons rise up again. I will make us the proud, glorious race we were in the past," he said with conviction._

"_In that case, I'll help you out too! I think it's a great goal!"_

"_If you wish, then I would appreciate it." Griff turned to walk away. "Selene… in a few days I am making for the other side. I will officially start my quest there and search for the means to achieve my goal. Perhaps one day, we will meet again. Until then, become strong, Selene."_

_And with that, he walked away from her._

* * *

Selene never once believed she would be fighting Griff so seriously. She had taken his advice to heart, pushed herself to the edge and back, in the hopes of one day he would recognize her strength. She didn't know if she loved him or not, but she certainly had admired him. Worshiped him even. To her, he was already a hero.

But this Griff was not, could not, be the same Griff she had always known. The Griff who hated humans, the Griff who valued strength and power above all. She didn't want this to be the same Griff. And she would beat some sense into him if it was the last thing she did.

It might just be after all. The rules of the duel were clear, there would only be one winner in this battle to the death. The fact that it left behind so many bodies was the primary reason it was banned after all, and no demon would ever refuse the challenge. A wounded pride would never heal in the Dark World.

She grits her teeth and stifled her cry of pain as she felt him slam his claw into her stomach, ripping apart the flesh and leaving behind a nasty looking gash. She unleashed a wave of water to push him away, before starting to heal the wound as quickly as possible. The surrounding area was filled with small craters where their powers had collided and scared the battlefield. Even in the midst of this though, she couldn't help but smile. Griff was treating her like a real enemy, a worthy foe that demanded all his strength to defeat. If she was to die, then she would find some comfort in the fact that she died a death befitting a demon.

Selene threw a dark sphere of energy at him, to which Griff had tried to stop. But its size hid its dense nature as he was unexpectedly knocked back and slammed into the wall. Griff's body had suffered mostly bruises and magical burns, but otherwise he knew he could still fight. Selene was on her last legs though, and it wouldn't be longer before she collapsed. It was a doomed battle from the start, she had known, but she wouldn't back down. She would face her end without flinching, the way a true demon would.

Suddenly the tower shook, and Selene was drawn to something above her. '_What was… no wait!'_ Her distraction was enough to give Griff the opening he needed to finish her. He slammed his weapons against her, knocking her down. The pain was too much to bear as she cried out in defeat, her body no longer having the strength to keep her standing. Griff stood above her, his own body weary. He had underestimated the effects of her magic and now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the pain was coming into sharp focus.

"You… win, Griff-sama… go ahead. Finish it." Selene closed her eyes, waiting for the final blow.

"No."

Selene growled as she yelled at him. "Why not!? Will you not even give me this!? Must you humiliate me with such a defeat on my head!?"

"It was never my intention to kill you from the start, Selene. Though I will say, I am pleased to see how much stronger you have become." Selene scoffed, as Griff stepped away before sitting down. He had felt it as well, the great shift in energy from above, where he was certain the mastermind behind everything lurked. He didn't let it distract him though, and could only pray that it was a good sign rather than bad.

"Griff… what happened to you? Why did you abandon your goal? Why are siding with the humans!?"

Griff closed his eyes, thinking back on everything that had happened. "The stealing of the Elemental Kings' power affects more than them, Selene. It would have disastrous consequences on us as well." His gaze shifted upwards. "You know… I always disliked humans. I loathed them for their ways… but there was one exception to that. Only one."

"Who was that," Selene asked.

"My mother." Selene looked shocked as she stared at Griff in disbelief. Like everyone else, she knew that Griff was of mixed blood, but had no idea that the other half of him was human. "When I first heard that my mother was human… I wasn't sure what to think. But father told me never to speak of her in public.

"I wanted to bring glory back to the demons… but to do that, I thought I had to commit myself to the demon race as a whole. The other half of my blood… I began to despise that part of me. The part that made me weak. So I devised a plan to bring back that glory and erase that part of me. But I failed. I failed, and I didn't realize why for a long time."

Foiled by a combination of a certain swordsman and a girl with a fairy. A girl that, somehow, resonated within him a part he had thought was completely under his control, a part that he locked away from everything. He wasn't sure back then what about Recette had drawn out the human side within him. It still confused him to this day.

"Selene… what is your goal?"

Selene looked surprised by that, but answered all the same. "I want to see the demons-."

"Do not lie to me, Selene," Griff said angrily, interrupting her. This, he knew, was the big mistake he had made with her all those years ago. Back when he was foolish and desperate for others who followed in his dream. "Be honest with me, Selene. You never had any interest in that, did you?"

Selene could only sigh to herself, staring at the ceiling. "No… I didn't." When she had first proclaimed that goal, she had only one thing in mind, to be close to the one she admired. Eventually, she had grown to accept it and strive for it, but it was all for him. Though she wanted to see demons rise up, it wasn't because she herself believed in it. No, she wanted Griff to recognize her achievements, for him to notice her and praise her for her devotion.

"Have I… have I truly been used? To think that I… that a mere human could…"

"No, Selene. I am going to fix this," Griff said. He would need a bit more time before he would be able to get back into fighting condition, but he was certain it wouldn't take too long.

The sound of footsteps could be heard, causing Griff to turn and see Elise and Chante coming up the stairs. "Whoa! What happened here," Chante asked, surprised by the amount of destruction the room had been in.

"A fight," Griff said as if he were stating the obvious. Selene watched in silence, hoping they wouldn't notice her. "I take it you are done?"

"Yeah, but Louie and Recette are in no condition to keep going," Elise said. "Elan is with them now."

"I see," Griff said, eyeing the Elemental Stone around her neck. Selene had seen it too, wondering where she had gotten it, before realizing that Sauv and the Dark Knight were likely to have been defeated, perhaps even succumbed to the Dark World's power. She was glad to be able to avoid that same fate. "The others are still ahead… go after them. I will join you shortly."

Elise faced Selene, who looked back at her in somewhat defiance, before nodding and heading up to the top. "What is up there, Selene?"

"An altar… with the Elemental Kings' power there. I was preparing it when I felt you all enter the tower. No one but Sauv and the Knight were with me." Griff narrowed his eyes in anger. Whoever this madwoman was, she was deliberately keeping herself out of Selene's sight. "So there really is someone else… and here I had thought that the Knight was the one to dethrone our King. I was prepared for revenge and everything."

"Oh vengeance will be ours," he said, the anger seeping into his voice. "Selene, I don't particularly care what you do at this point, but do not interfere anymore." Griff could only focus on his own self-healing, wishing things would go faster.

Everything was hanging in the balance. But Griff wasn't sure if everything would be okay after all.


	30. Final Battle Pt1 - Beginning of the End

_A/N: And so, we have arrived. Happy 4th of July to all my American readers. This time, we begin the endgame. Just a bit more until it's all over folks. If you've come this far, then I welcome you to stick around to the very end. Time for a big battle.  
_

**_Malandy:_**_ Thanks! The dynamics between Griff and Selene were interesting to write, especially considering that Selene is only seen as the 'villain' near the end of Fortune Summoners (And apparently not even the 'final boss' considering what happens at the end of it). I've always planned for her to have the type of attitude that wouldn't mesh well if she ever met the 'mastermind', instead treating it as her preparing to betray the others. Seemed very demon-like. _

_As for demon looks, I think I'll let Griff answer this one._

**_Griff: Yes, well... I'm not certain how the demons of old looked, but we are just as diverse in our looks as humans are today, mostly as a result of the Hybrids being born. The ears do mark us as 'non-human' but other features demons have are a sensitivity to sunlight, as the Celestial Body that lights the Dark World isn't nearly as bright or harsh, and minor night-vision. Demons also tend to have a more destructive type of magic, very few knowing true 'healing' spells. As for Devils, I'm not sure. Most that I've encountered have human-like qualities, though the more powerful ones shed those for the raw power of their more 'feral' forms._**

**_Also, if you ever suggest again that I am in any way related to that shopkeeper, I WILL EN-!_**

_Ok, ok, that's enough from you, go back to the story. _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 30: The Final Battle, Part 1 – Beginning of the End**_

* * *

The three were not fooled for a moment. Though the woman's tone had come off pleasant sounding enough, her intentions were unveiled and that was all they needed to know to confirm her as 'the villain'. Despite this, Stella could not help but ask, "Who are you?"

The woman shook her head, her tone condescending. "I just told you… I am soon to become the god of the world. The god the world needs to lead it into an everlasting era of perfection." She motioned to the sphere of energy behind her. "Do you see? The power of all four Elemental Kings is within it. And as soon as it stabilizes, I will be able to absorb it into me and achieve ultimate power."

"You can't seriously expect us to sit here and let you do that," Stella said, readying herself.

"You hurt so many people… how could you," Sana questioned.

"Necessary sacrifices in the name of a greater good my dear. Though I don't expect children like you to understand. I'm surprised you made it past all my pawns however. But it's of no matter. You already cannot stop me."

"Don't be so sure about that! Unison!" Arche and Chiffon became one, filling her with power. "We won't let you have your way!"

"So be it… I have some time to play before everything is ready. I'll entertain you." The woman raised her hand in the air and summoned a sphere of flames. "Flare Dragon!" A dragon's head with a serpentine body shot out and charged towards the girls from the fire sphere.

"Water Blow!" Sana unleashed her spell, the waves of water striking at the fire dragon. The water was able to stop the spell from advancing but not cancel it out. The masked woman added more power to the spell and soon the fire was starting to overcome the water. Stella moved to the side while Arche grabbed her friend and pulled her away, letting the flames crash into the floor.

"Chaser!" Stella unleashed her fire spell, but the woman simply summoned a wall of water that absorbed the blow effortlessly. The water became a wall of ice before she launched it at the girl. Stella wasn't to be intimidated. "Explosion!" The strength of her fire spell was enough to shatter the ice wall and stop the attack.

"Thunderstorm!" Arche called down lightning on the woman, but she simply raised her hands and the lightning began to gather in her palms, becoming a sphere. She tossed the attack of Arche's back at her, but the swordswoman wasn't done. "Lightning Blade!" Charging her weapon, she cut through her own attack and dispersed it. "Lightning Blade!" Another sword, made entirely of electrical energy, appeared in Arche's other hand, as she charged in with her dual blades.

The woman effortlessly dodged Arche's strikes, as she spun her body and lashed out from every possible angle. "Splash!" Sana's spell shot out several bullets of water, but the woman brushed them aside as if they were flies. "Icicle!"

"Earth Wall!" A rocky wall rose out of the ground, defending against the spell before it settled back into the ground. "Hailstorm!" From the sky, large chunks of ice began to fall, which forced Arche to back off and focus on dodging them. Stella blasted a few that came her way with fire while Sana merely shielded herself. "Lightning Lance!" A spear of lightning formed in her hand before she threw it at Stella.

The attack came too fast to be dodged as she was struck by the spell. Stella cried out in pain, clutching at her chest were the attack came into contact. She could already feel her body start to become numb and quickly reached into her pack for something to ease it.

"Stella," came the simultaneous cry from her friends.

"I'm fine," she shouted. "Sana look out!"

Sana turned in time to see the woman had rushed her, her hands coated in fire as she attempted to strike at the young healer. Her attack was called off when Arche suddenly appeared between them and struck, forcing her back. "No one hurts my friends and gets away with it!"

"Bold words, from someone with borrowed power," the masked woman said. "Without the power of the Elemental Stones, the magic within you is too weak to manifest on its own. But I am a true sorceress… that alone makes me much more powerful then you shall ever be."

"I don't care about any of that! No one hurts my friends! Twister!" Arche unleashed a whirlwind that the masked woman merely disrupted with her own wind magic.

"Foolish girl… I suppose some have to learn the hard way! Earth Spike!" The woman placed her hands on the ground, causing spikes of rock to shoot out towards the girls. Arche grabbed Sana and quickly jumped into the air, using her power of flight to stay above the rampaging spell.

"Icicle!" Sana quickly rained down several shards of ice, to which the woman conjured up flames to negate the attack.

"Explosion!" Back in the fray, Stella unleashed her spell hoping to catch the woman off guard, but she merely stepped back and raised her Earth Wall again to take the brunt of the damage.

"Hyah!" Arche dropped down, slashing at her with her blade, now returned to its normal size. The woman stepped away, as the three girls regrouped, looking slightly worse for wear. The woman however, didn't seem fazed.

"You ladies are indeed interesting… ah to be young again. But it's-!" Her voice stopped when a cracking sound could be heard. Her mask suddenly cut into two, revealing the face underneath. There were no blemishes or scars to hide, nothing but a smooth face and blue eyes looking at them in surprise. The gaze softened however, as a smile entered her face. "Well… this is interesting indeed. To have such skill as to remove my mask. Perhaps I should praise you?"

The three girls stared into the face of their opponent, her looks familiar and yet foreign. The three could swear they had seen the face before, but could not put a name to it. The woman herself was fairly beautiful, at least in the purely physical sense. But there was something fake behind her smile, something malevolent in the gaze of her eyes.

"Who… is she," Arche asked.

"She does look familiar, but I don't know from where," Sana said, trying to think of when she might have seen her. Stella gasped and stepped back.

"Wait… no that can't be! You're supposed to be dead!"

"What's wrong Stella?"

"Ah!" Arche pointed at her. "I remember now! She looks like that angel statue where I met Chiffon!"

"But then…"

"That's right," the woman said smiling. "My name is Minasa-Ratis. The most powerful sorceress to ever live."

"That's impossible," Stella said, raising her dagger. "Minasa-Ratis lived over three hundred years ago! You are nothing but an imposter!"

"Oh? I assure you, the word 'impossible' doesn't apply to me. I was able to create your Elemental Stones after all, right? Did you not think I wouldn't recognize the power being used against me?" The woman laughed as if such thoughts were foolish.

"No, Stella is right," Arche said, holding her sword tightly. "Chiffon is telling me… that you're not her. At least, not the same as her." The woman looked slightly disinterested.

"What? You mean to tell me you believe that childish Elemental over what you can see with your own eyes?"

"I trust Chiffon. And if you really were Minasa-Ratis, you would have trusted in him too," Arche said. "Stop lying! Who are you?"

The woman closed her eyes, shaking her head. "Well… I suppose that it doesn't matter anymore." Focusing, her body was enveloped in an aura, until a ghostly shape emerged, hovering over the woman. Sana gave a surprised squeak seeing it. _"Well,"_ came the distorted voice of a male and female speaking together as one, _"Behold my true form!"_

"A-a-a-a g-g-ghost!"

"What… what in the world _are_ you," Stella asked unbelieving what she was seeing.

"_Surprised, aren't you? While it's true that the body before you is indeed the one you call Minasa-Ratis, she is clearly not in control here. I am Zenth, the King of Renoria."_ Both the ghostly figure and Minasa-Ratis raised their hands up. _"Tremble before me."_

"Then… you are the one that Ignus told us about," Stella said. "The one who caused the downfall of the Kingdom of Renoria!"

"_Ah… yes. Millennia ago I attempted to harness the power of the Elemental Kings. But I admit my own foolishness. I was dealing with a power I did not comprehend at the time. As a result, my body was destroyed… but my spirit was able to absorb enough of the energy to be able to exist without a body. And so, for over fifteen hundred years, I wandered this world. Unable to pass on… and unable to continue my goals. Until that is, I saw this woman."_

Zenth raised Minasa-Ratis's hand to her chest, like a puppeteer would to a marionette. _"This woman, who possessed power and understanding that I did not… a descendant of the people of Renoria, she would make the perfect host for me. And so I orchestrated a scheme to take control of her body and use the power of her Elemental Stones to gain the power I wanted. But she was careful; though she lost the battle, she had arranged it so that the memories of where she hid each Elemental Stone were erased so that I could not get to them. But that didn't matter. I at last had a body._

"_And so I spent centuries planning and studying for this. I would make sure that I would not be denied a second time. You will not stop me. I will not allow it."_

The three girls were shocked at this revelation. The one who had laid down the foundations of the Elemental Stones they used had been defeated and forced to become a puppet for another. "How could you… Why would you do this," Sana shouted.

"_I don't expect children to understand my motivations… But as I said, it's hopeless."_

"Not yet," Arche said, bringing up her sword. "We will stop you!"

"_Foolish girl… do you think me telling you all that was meaningless? It's hopeless… because time is up."_ At that, the sphere of energy behind the possessed sorceress began to shine, the energy within amplifying. The tower around them began to shake, causing all three girls to try and stabilize themselves. Zenth merely turned to face the energy, his spirit returning into Minasa-Ratis's body. _"And now! Come to me, power of the Kings! I am your new master!"_

"Chaser!" Stella desperately cast a spell to try and stop the process, but a barrier appeared to separate them. The golden light shot out up to the sky, before arcing and diving back down to engulf Zenth's borrowed body. The three could only watch in silent desperation before the light became too much and they had to turn away to avoid being blinded by it. When it subsided, Minasa-Ratis's body was glowing that same golden color, the sphere having disappeared completely.

"_**Yes… YES! At long last, it is mine! With this, I have become a god!"**_ Her voice echoed with power as her body began to float, a powerful wind surrounding her and bellowing her robes. _**"Bow before me! With this, I am now the most powerful being in the world!**_

"Water Blow!" Sana unleashed her torrent of water, but the woman didn't bother defending. The attack struck at her aura and completely dispersed on its own. "What!?"

"_**Nice try. Next?"**_

"Lightning Blade!" Arche charged in, despite Stella's protests. She swung with all her might, but the sorceress merely caught the blade in her hand. Arche's eyes widened in surprise before she flicked the young girl's forehead with her fingers. The force behind it was enough to launch Arche back, her body bouncing on the ground from the blow. Her body was severely hurting, and she was surprised to see Chiffon on the ground before her. The blow had completely knocked her out of her Unison ability. "Chiffon!"

"Arche… it… it hurts…"

"_**Face it! You can't even scratch me as I am now!" **_She started to laugh manically. _**"Your false magic has no power over my supreme might!"**_

"Explosion! Chaser!" Stella's spells were met with the same disinterest as Sana's and they had the same result. None of their magic was doing so much as annoying her. "This is bad, nothing we do is working!"

"We can't give up though," Arche said, struggling to get up. "Chiffon are you okay?"

"I think so… Arche, that person… that power is too much," the young Elemental said. "I'm scared."

"I'm scared too, Chiffon," she admitted, holding her sword up again. "But we have to try! We promised Eolia!"

"_**Now… shall I attack?"**_ She raised her arms into the air, summoning flames. This time though, the flames were blue as they formed into a sphere over her head. _**"Flare Storm!"**_ She launched the fireball into the air, where it exploded, raining down on the battlefield like meteors.

Sana attempted to shield herself and cast water spells to stop the flares, but the intense heat was even greater than before, causing the attack to do nothing. Though Stella and Arche attempted to dodge them, the blasts made small explosions hitting the ground, knocking them back and burning them slightly. One spell in and the three were almost down for the count.

"That magic… wasn't normal," Stella said.

"Is that the power of the Elemental Kings," Sana couldn't help but wonder.

"Ugh… we… we can't give up," Arche said.

"_**Feeling tired? Don't worry; I'll make sure you get your rest… permanently."**_ She started to charge up more magic, but was forced to pull away when an attack came unexpectedly.

"Fairy Sword!" Elise slashed at the woman, jumping into battle quickly. She backed off looking intrigued at the newest arrival. "Are you girls ok?"

"Elise! Chante!"

"That's our names," Chante said facing the woman. "Now, judging by this, you must be the bad guy! Alright, time to knock you down a few pegs!"

"_**How interesting… so even the Fae are against me now. Well, that's fine." **_ She barely took a few steps forwards before Griff materialized out of thin air and struck, knocking her back further. Instead of pain, she merely showed surprise at seeing him. _**"Tsk… and here I thought Selene would be enough to finish you."**_

"Griff! Glad you could make it," Arche said.

"It seems… we are too late to have stopped her initial plan," Griff said stretching his arms. "That power spike we felt earlier… must have been her."

"Think we can take her," Elise asked, holding her sword in her grip tightly.

"I'm not sure… fighting her would be close to fighting an Elemental King, and there's no telling how that would even turn out. Nonetheless, we have to try."

"_**By all means, go ahead. Come at me all you wish, the outcome will not change."**_ She threw her arms to side, as if to invite their wrath.

Knowing they had to take advantage, they charged. The second round was beginning.

* * *

Far below them, a young woman was running through the castle, heading towards the throne room. As she entered, two others could be seen entering as well. Caillou and Tielle looked surprised at seeing anyone in the room. They wondered if the demons were still in the process of liberating the castle, as there was no sign of Arma around.

"Why are you here," Caillou asked. "Shouldn't you be guarding our way out?"

"Eh, I was bored," she said shrugging her shoulders. "And when I felt the castle start to shake, well, I couldn't just ignore that. Glad to see you two are alright. I take it the others are still up there?"

"Yeah," Tielle answered. "Elan went up further to help Louie and the rest. We don't know how they are doing, but it's likely they got caught in their own battles."

"Right... you two look like you've had it rough. I'll head on up to back them up then. Sounds like they need all the help they can get. Now be good down here and don't get any ideas, ok," she said teasingly.

"W-w-what are you saying," Caillou yelled, both of them blushing a bit. "Think before you speak woman! And time and place should I remind you!"

"Sorry, can you blame me? I need a bit of normalcy after all this. Rest up, just leave the rest to me."

"Yeah, good luck," Tielle said. The woman nodded and raced up the stairs behind them, heading towards the top of the tower. Caillou and Tielle watched her go and hoped that she wouldn't be too late.


	31. FB Pt2 - Struggle Against Despair

_A/N: First of all, a big welcome to my two new followers of this story, Ryoga and Born of Prayers. Glad to see you are interested enough in the story to be following it. Here's hoping that this upcoming finale is worth it all.  
_

_Speaking of, we are almost done with the story! Wow, it's been so long since I started this, but I knew from the moment the idea came to me and seeing the severe lack of stories for these games that I had to finish it. Some might be wondering why I decided not to do a double update last weekend, and the reason was that I wanted to kind of tease these last few chapters. That and I'm evil, as previously proven to be. Now, prepare for the final set-up as we give the heroes one final chance! SUPER ACTION PACKED CHAPTER COMING UP!_

**_Malandy: _**_Sorry, no Geddon Device here. Although I'm sure I COULD tie it in to some kind of weapon that was built in the ancient past or something like that. There is enough leeway to do it, but not this time. As for the mysterious woman, yes I didn't name her on purpose, but you'll see who it is in this chapter anyway, so read on!  
_

_**Ryoga:** Thanks for the review! I'm assuming you meant 'meshed' not 'messed' seeing how positive the review sounded. Yes, one of the very first things I touched on was my hope that I got to display these characters just right and give them some growth in the context of my story. I'm glad to see you approve of my choices! Here's hoping you will enjoy the rest._

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 31: The Final Battle, Part 2 – Struggle Against Despair**_

* * *

Selene calmly walked down the tower, away from Griff and the fight he had gone to salvage. As much as she wanted to help, she knew that she would only be a burden on him and truthfully, the idea of working with humans didn't appeal to her anyway. Besides which, it was not her fight to begin with. She had no right to interfere.

Still, she also knew that it wouldn't be long before something terrible happened and she herself would be made a target. She was already guilty of high treason and conspiring against the Demon King and the Demon Race as a whole. Even if she were allowed to make her case, she herself had been the direct cause of all the damage by learning the spell to extract the power of the Elemental Kings. Everything else she was merely guilty by association.

She would have to flee the Dark World, perhaps permanently. She would have been exiled anyway, assuming the Generals didn't decide to simply execute her right away. Idly she wondered who would become the next King. A King stayed in power until they were defeated or named a successor, though most Kings never lived or ruled long enough to choose the latter. Very few Kings had ever been so powerful or respected that no one would try to overthrow them.

As she approached the next landing, she noticed the people there, and wasn't too surprised. Elan and Tear turned to face the Dark Witch, before the monk quickly got into a fighting stance. Selene paid him no mind, instead staring at the girl who was kneeling before the downed swordsman. She remembered seeing her before in the Lapis Ruins. The girl hadn't even bothered to look up, instead merely expressing her sadness at seeing the swordsman in his state.

This girl, she somehow knew, had been the one to change Griff. How she came to that conclusion, she didn't know, but a part of her screamed out its certainty. What about her had altered the man she admired so much? What happened between the two that had changed him? Griff had mentioned his failed plan and wondered exactly what role she played in that, if any.

Selene walked towards them, to which Elan intercepted. "Stay back. Don't think I won't beat you down if I have to."

"I have no intention of fighting you. I am here on Griff's behalf," she said, lying.

"Do you sincerely believe that we will trust you," Tear said suspiciously.

"I do not expect you to trust me. But you trust Griff to some extent, correct?" Elan and Tear turned to each other, before glancing back at Recette. Elan nodded, but didn't relax his stance, making it perfectly clear what would happen if she tried anything suspicious. Selene walked to Recette, looking down at her and the swordsman.

She couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for her. She wasn't strong, she could tell that much. Even back in the Lapis Ruins most of her effects on the fight had been more dumb luck than actual skill. Still, she couldn't help but to see similarities in them. The girl's devotion had been enough to rival hers for Griff. She shifted to see the swordsman. While the make-do bandaging was enough to have saved his life, there was no chance of him waking up, at least within the Dark World. She wondered what he possessed that was making him immune to the effects. Something Griff had given him no doubt and was on his person.

Kneeling down, Recette looked up to see her staring at Louie. The Dark Witch reached out with her hand and focused her magic. Louie's body began to glow startling Recette, but the young shopkeeper hadn't thought to stop her. Only when Selene grabbed at the bandages and ripped them off did she shout. "No, stop!"

"Hey, what are you-!" But Elan's rant was cut short when they saw that Louie's back had been perfectly healed, his skin slightly pink but otherwise normal. Selene rose up and walked to the stone woman, looking at her. This, she assumed, was the Dark Knight, though she never would have guessed it was a woman under all that armor.

Raising her hand once more, she cast another spell, causing the woman to glow before the stone receded and she became flesh and blood once more. She was still unconscious, but that hardly mattered to her. Looking at her she noticed that the former Dark Knight looked much like the young girl who was staring at her wide eyed in amazement. She wondered what the connection was, but couldn't be bothered to make any guesses. She was already on borrowed time as it were.

"Why…?" but the question died on Recette's lips, unable to believe this woman was helping them. She was the enemy, at least from what she knew.

"My penance to Griff. That's all," she said, turning and walking away. "I'm done here. Whatever it is you wish to do, go and leave me out of it."

"Thank you," Recette said, fresh tears coming to her eyes, but Selene did not stop or turn around. She merely walked down the steps to the next landing. Halfway down, a voice spoke to her.

"You know, it's polite to answer back when someone thanks you." Selene quickly turned, to see a young woman leaning against the wall a few steps above her. How she had managed to sneak past the Witch, she had no clue. "Well, I can imagine it's not easy when Recette is the one who thanks you."

"You… were one of them who were with her," Selene said, subtly charging her magic.

"Yeah… but right now we both have more important things to worry about than dragging up the past. The girl really knows how to bring out the best in someone, whether she knows it or not. I won't stop you… I doubt I could and I need to save my strength for the more important fight. But try to think of it as a learning experience."

"Hmph. I don't need a lecture from some human," she said, walking away. There was still one more thing to be done. Chuckling to herself, Charme turned away and continued on and up.

Something was telling her that the others would need help soon, and there was no time to rest properly.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, having both Griff and Elise helping in the battle improved their chances of winning considerably. What was surprising was the fact that it still seemed no closer to actually becoming a reality.

Zenth, within the body of Minasa-Ratis, had summoned two swords, one of fire and the other of ice, to defend. Both blades had the same golden glow around them, empowering them greatly. Elise's and Griff's strikes were parried effortlessly, and any magic they used against him was simply absorbed. The three girls were resting themselves with some minor medicine, trying to think of ways to even the fight further.

The good thing about it was that Elise's and Griff's attacks were relentless, not giving the possessed Minasa-Ratis a chance to actually attack. Of course, this didn't bother Zenth at all. They would long wear themselves out before he would actually need to try and fight them. It was rather amusing to see them struggle in vain.

Elise let out a shout as she slammed her sword down, only to be blocked by the Ice Sword. She was getting irritated, as even with all her might she could not force the woman's weapons into submission. Moreover, she was blocking her with one arm, a feat that by all logic should not be possible. Minasa-Ratis's body had already passed the point of being called superhuman. But she could not admit defeat here.

Unfortunately, Zenth found that this was now no longer amusing. As much as he wanted to keep toying with them, he had things to do and he needed to get out of the Dark World to start doing them. He struck forwards, knocking Elise off balance. Twisting the body under his control, he parried Griff's strike and stomped on the ground. _**"Spire!"**_ A pillar of earth launched up and hit Griff in the chest, knocking him back.

"Hyah!" The two blades clashed with Arche's strike, the power difference overwhelming her. She twisted again and grabbed the staff that Sana had tried to swing at her from her, wrenching it from her grasp. Sana panicked when the woman gripped the Elemental Stone at the end of the staff and ripped it off, throwing the now useless piece of wood back at the young girl.

"No…"

But her plea went unheard as she gripped the stone and with sheer force caused it to shatter in her hands. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the feat, unbelieving to think such a thing would have been possible if they hadn't seen it for their own eyes. _**"Whoops,"**_ she said sinisterly. _**"Guess I don't know my own strength."**_ She watched in glee which turned to surprise when she saw that Sana wasn't succumbing to the Dark World. _**"What's this… without this stone you should be a statue right now!"**_

To everyone's shock, from within her smock, Sana produced _another_ Elemental Stone, which she was firmly trying to attach to the end of her staff. Her face was angry and in tears at seeing her precious stone given to her by her father destroyed before her eyes. She was taking deep breathes, trying not to sob and cry, though the tears wouldn't stop.

"Sana, where did you get that," Stella said, seeing the power the stone was now producing after being attached to the staff.

"Mr. Cliff gave it to me," she said, remembering the conversation. Cliff had said he didn't need the stone anymore, and that it would be in better hands with her. Of course, she never used the stone once, finding her original one always being good enough and holding much more sentimental value to her. But she kept it with her all the same, as a reminder to the trials she faced in finding the Elemental King it resonated with.

She never expected she would need it now, but was thankful all the same.

"_**I'm starting to get annoyed at your persistence. Very well then…"**_ Minasa-Ratis's body began to glow a bright white light, causing everyone to look away for the moment. When it vanished, she had gone, and in her place stood a tall man with sharp grey eyes and a goatee, dark hair cut short. _**"Much better… the body I am used to. What do you think?"**_

"That's what he really looks like? Whatever, I'm not impressed," Chante said.

"Ultimately it matters not what form he takes. He will pay for what he has done," Griff said.

"_**Foolish demon… that I can transform my body into this form means that I have fully controlled the power within me. Lightning Dragon!"**_ Electrical energy surrounded his body and rose up before forming a dragon's head and launching itself at Arche. Its jaws opened up and roared at her as it came quickly.

"Arche, look out!" Arche braced herself, knowing she couldn't move fast enough to dodge and trying to call on her Elemental Stone's power to help her withstand the blow.

"Vacuum Cut!"

"Fairy Cut!"

The two attacks struck at the dragon, unable to stop it, but stalling it long enough for another figure to grab Arche and tumble them out of the way. Everyone turned to see the new arrivals enter the room.

"Louie! Recette," Sana called out.

"Charme," Stella said in disbelief. "Why are you here?"

"For back up of course," Charme said, drawing her daggers. "Come on, you can't expect me to miss all the action right? Seriously, that would just be plain rude after everything we went through."

"Recette," Elise said, running up to them. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be okay… I think," she said, nodding to her friend. "Elan is with my mom right now, he'll take care of her."

"But how are you guys even fighting ready," Chante asked. "I mean, when we left you weren't exactly in the best form…"

"Let's just say Griff really knows some amazing people," Louie said, brandishing his sword at the ready. Griff merely scoffed, but recognized what Louie meant, even as the others were confused. "Anyway, we're here to back you up! No way are we going to let this creep rule the world!"

"_**So, more insects come crawling out of the woodwork. It doesn't matter how many of you throw yourselves at me, the outcome will not change."**_

"Well, he certainly seems to have the conceited villain speech down," Tear said. "Recette, please be careful. This opponent isn't one we can underestimate."

"I'll say. Nothing we've been doing has had any significant impact on him," Stella said. "He just absorbs all the magic we throw at him and our combat skills aren't enough to fight outright."

"Well, there are more of us now. We have to be able to do something," Charme said.

"_**Face it… you stand before ultimate power! There is nothing in this world that can stop me now!"**_

"_**That is where you are sadly mistaken."**_ Everyone looked shocked as the voice came out from everywhere at once it seemed. Suddenly, the four Elemental Stones began to glow and fill with power.

"_**This battle isn't over yet."**_

"That's… Eolia," Arche said in surprise.

"_**Wielders of our power, we will give you our strength. The last of our powers are yours to command now."**_

"Hold on," Tear said worried, "If you give up your remaining power now… what will happen to the world?"

"_**If your efforts were to fail now, then it would not matter,"**_ the next voice said, Legeas. _**"At the very least, we will be giving you all a fighting chance."**_

"_**That's right,"**_ Ignus said. _**Our power won't last long either way. And in our current conditions, we could not oppose Zenth anyway. Better to give you all a chance to win than accept defeat. The power of the Elemental Stone will help to amplify our strength but not by much. You must still put in the effort."**_

"_**Utterly ridiculous. You would choose to place your fates in the hands of mortals,"**_ Zenth said with disdain. _**"It seems having your power taken has also stolen your intelligence!"**_

"_**Perhaps,"**_ Algorn said. _**"But long ago, we trusted mortals and lived in peace. Perhaps now, we can do it once more. Child of Fire! Take the burning passion within your heart and unleash righteous flames upon him!"**_ Stella began to glow with a red aura, and saw it linking with Charme, giving her an aura as well.

"Whoa! What's happening," the thief asked.

"I don't know… but I feel…"

"_**Bringer of life, let the waves of fury crash into him!"**_ Sana and Louie began to glow with a blue aura.

"This is… my strength is coming back! And I feel better than ever!"

"Me too… I've never felt this much magic power before."

"_**Guardians of wisdom, let the earth teach you the ways of victory!"**_ Elise, Chante and Griff began to glow with a green aura around them.

"So, this is the power of the Elemental King…?"

"Cool, I feel great," Chante said excitedly. "Sis, I don't think we even need magic crystals anymore!"

"That's good," Elise said. "It will certainly help."

"_**Seekers of the future, let the wind guide you on your path!"**_ Arche, Recette and Tear became encased in a lavender aura. _**"Chiffon… I am so proud of you. Believe in your friends, and they will not let you down."**_

"Yeah… Chiffon and I… we won't let you down!"

"Tear… this feels amazing! I think we can really do it!"

"Recette… please, don't be reckless. We still have so much to do here, so focus."

"_**This is it… we are placing all our hopes into you all. Please, for the sake of the world… defeat him!"**_

"_**How foolish… so this is it? Your last, desperate hope? Even if you all hold a fraction of the Elemental Kings' power, I hold almost all of it! Do you really think that your strength is comparable to mine?"**_

"That doesn't matter," Sana said with conviction.

"We have the determination to see you fail. That is more than enough I think," Stella said.

"That's right, we'll never lose to the likes of you," Chante chimed in, Elise nodding in agreement.

"You will pay for what you have done… to the residents of both worlds," Griff said.

"You better pray for a miracle yourself, cause I'm about to take everything from you," Charme said.

"You think we won't try to defend our homes? Our lives? What kind of hero lets them get taken away so easily," Louie said.

"We aren't afraid of you," Recette said.

"Yeah… everyone, let's go! One last time, let's give it our all," Arche said.

Zenth gazed at them all, before raising his hand and concentrating. Materializing from thin air was a long scythe, the staff part made of some kind of gnarred wood and a wicked looking blade at the end. He gripped it with purpose and swung it around a few times before entering a stance. _**"Very well… you have made your choice. And when I win… I will see your ashes scattered to the four winds!"**_


	32. Final Battle Pt3 - Final Hope

_A/N: OMG, OMG, OMG HERE IT IS! The super, ultimate, final battle. The characters are set, the villain and heroes have achieved their final power boost, and now it's a battle for the ages! Can our heroes prevail? Will I be evil and make the villain win? ONLY TIME WILL TELL!_

_Also apparently I didn't notice, but I somehow managed to get over 1000 people viewing this story. Can you believe that!? Especially considering that its in a story category that most people on this site probably don't know exists. Thank you ALL for this. It means so much that so many people were willing to give this a chance._

_BUT IT'S STILL NOT OVER YET! There is one more chapter to go and then the Epilogue, before we can wrap up the story. Also it should be noted that I am going on vacation next week, so my next update will be either early Friday or late Sunday, PST. Look for it then._

**_Malandy:_** _We're sorry, but your Arma is in another castle. And of course the power ups aren't going to last. Everyone knows after the final battle in an RPG its just cutscenes until the end. And any post-content/New Game+ will use either Clear Data or your last Save, which is before the triple Boss Fights. Also Scythe is just there to look cool. I always thought they were cool. Deeper meanings are perhaps you just thinking too much about it. _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 32: The Final Battle, Part 3 – Final Hope**_

* * *

Louie and Elise immediately raised their blades and charged forward to block Zenth's strike. It was fortunate they both had the same thought as only one of them would have been overpowered by the swing. "Thunderstorm!" Arche's spell rained down on Zenth, the power and intensity of the lightning even greater than before, augmented with Eolia's power. Zenth raised his scythe and began to spin it, blocking the strike. His two swords charged at Louie and Elise, but their empowered blades were able to break them, causing them to break down into the elemental energy they were made from and vanish. Zenth paid no mind to this, as he had other things to focus on.

Seven Recettes were now surrounding him, before they all charged in. Zenth spun quickly, his scythe immediately dispelling all the illusions. _**"Fire Cage!"**_ A circle of flame surrounded Griff, stopping his charge at him. At least, it would have if Griff had any intention of stopping. Fueling himself with pure rage, he broke through and struck at Zenth, who used his scythe to block Griff's claws. Zenth showed no signs of struggling, but the fact that he couldn't immediately repel Griff's attack was saying something.

"Fairy Sword!" Zenth pushed Griff away and swung to deflect the attack coming from Elise. The two dueled for a few moments, before Zenth felt the power of magic behind him. Without breaking eye contact with the girl and her fairy, he summoned an Ice Wall to defend from Stella's 'Chaser' spell. But the spell had weakened the wall for Charme to smash through it with her 'Flame Charge', dagger aimed at the spell caster's back.

Zenth jumped up high, dodging the attack and landing a good distance away. He immediately raised several walls of earth to block the combined strikes of Louie's 'Vacuum Cut' and Recette's 'Fairy Cut' abilities. _**"Hailstorm!"**_ Large chunks of ice began to fall from the sky, but this time Stella was ready.

"Grand Chaser!" Several large fireballs shot out to counter the ice spell sent out.

"Cleaver Strike!" Louie jumped up and slammed his blade down on Zenth who blocked with this scythe. The strike had allowed Griff to rush in almost completely undetected and swipe with his claws, to which Zenth pulled back. The force of Louie's blow though had managed to slow him enough for the demon's attack to leave a mark, just barely grazing the ancient sorcerer. Zenth healed it immediately, but it did not change the fact that Griff had finally drawn first blood on him.

Zenth was angry. There was no way these beings were supposed to be able to defy him, and yet they were proving to be able to keep up with him. He was supposed to be a god, an ascended being that overcame his own mortality. He would not allow them any chance at winning. Zenth focused, a massive spell circle appearing on the ground, covering the entirety of the battlefield. Everyone looked surprised at its appearance, and knew that he was planning something devious. "Supreme Shield," Sana cried out, covering everyone in a barrier.

"_**Elemental Explosion!"**_ Pure Elemental energy shot out from the ground, assaulting all of them at once and had it not been for Sana's shield, they would have all been defeated instantly. As it was though, despite the shield's best efforts, everyone was unable to escape the blast unscathed.

"What a spell…" Chante said. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah… that really hurt though," Charme said. She was surprised when a tendril of lightning wrapped around her arm suddenly. Looking up, she could see several more had wrapped around Stella and Louie and all were connected to Zenth's arm.

"_**Lightning Chain!"**_ Zenth pulled, dragging all three of them to him as he swung his scythe, ready to end them. Arche appeared, both her 'Lightning Blades' out and cut through the chains, while Elise blocked the swing with her 'Fairy Sword'. _**"Annoying insects! You are persistent I will give you that. But you have officially worn down my last nerve!"**_

Zenth encapsulated himself in ice as several blue lights appeared near him, curtesy of Griff, before igniting them. The ice barrier was sufficient to block the attack, before he summoned the earth to surround his left arm and raised it to block an incoming strike from Charme. His scythe knocked her back, nearly slicing open her cheek in the process.

"Grand Chaser!"

"Tempest!"

Arche and Stella's attacks together created a fiery tornado at Zenth. In response, he simply sliced the thing in half, dispersing it immediately. Carrying his momentum, he twisted and sliced at an Illusion of Recette, but not deterred, he simply kept going and blocked a surprise strike from Louie. No longer riding a momentum, he was unable to dodge in time for Charme's strike at his shoulder, cutting it open with her dagger. He instantly healed it, but was more annoyed by the fact they were able to hurt him at all.

Griff came charging in, viciously striking at Zenth who used his scythe to block the blows. "Fairy Cut!" Zenth attempted to dodge the wave attacks as they came, while trying to fend off Griff's assault. He lashed out with a kick to knock Charme away when she tried to get close, but it was enough for Louie and Elise to get in striking distance. He was able to defend against Louie, but not Elise, his back being sliced open before he healed himself once more.

"_**Annoying worms! Lightning Lance!"**_ Throwing the spear at Elise, he quickly turned to block the attack coming from Arche, smiling as he heard the scream of pain from his earlier target. His satisfaction turned into annoyance as he had to deal with Arche and Louie at the same time though.

"Icicle!"

Zenth blocked the strike, anger fueling him. _**I must not lose,**_ was the mantra that was repeating in his head, over and over. _**"I will not lose! Your pathetic resistance ends now! Don't think you can-!"**_ He twisted his body around to block another strike, but it had come quicker than he thought. His body hitched as he found himself impaled through the chest by one of Arche's Lightning Blades.

"Discharge!" He screamed in agony as lightning raced through his body. Suddenly, his golden aura changed to a pure white one as energy began to radiate from his body. A blinding light blasted out, causing everyone to turn away. When the light faded, Arche felt the familiar weight of Chiffon on her head, signaling her Unison was over.

Before them was no longer the body of Zenth, but Minasa-Ratis once more, having fallen to her knees and her head hung down. She was unmoving, as everyone looked to her in shock and apprehension. After a full minute had passed, Recette spoke up. "Did… we win?"

"I think so," Stella said, still not taking her eyes off the immobile form of the woman. "I think we actually won!"

"Oh yeah," Chante cheered out, overjoyed. "We did it!"

"Man… what a tough opponent," Charme said, wiping sweat from her brow. "Glad to see it's finally over."

"_**Over…? Don't make me laugh."**_ Everyone tensed as the ghostly form of Zenth reappeared over Minasa-Ratis's body. _**"This… is only a minor setback, at best. You may have weakened this body a bit… but I still hold the power of the Kings. And as long as I have that power and this body to command, my ambitions will never die."**_

"Damn it, what the heck do we have to do to keep him down," Louie said frustrated. Even empowered with some of the Elemental Kings' powers, he was starting to feel the strain of battle, as was everyone else.

"_**Did you really think you have won? Did you think it would be over that easily? Soon you will all see… what real power is like!"**_

"No… your ambitions end here," a woman's voice said. It took them all a moment before they realized that the woman who spoke was none other than the one before them, Minasa-Ratis. She struggled to stand, wavering slightly. "Zenth… I will not allow you to bring more harm to them."

"Minasa-Ratis! She's…" But words could not describe the relief Stella had felt.

"_**Impossible! You should be nothing but a shell, under my will! How did you break through!?"**_

"It seems… they weakened your hold on me…" She stood straight, gazing at them all. "Thank you… for your efforts. Because of you, I was able to take back this body of mine… for the time being."

"What do you mean by that," Griff asked, though he suspected the answer.

"I won't stay in control for long… I can already feel him trying to take over again. But I will not allow that to happen. It is long pass time for me to correct the mistakes I have made." She gazed to Arche, Sana, Stella and Elise. "You girls… hold out the Elemental Stones."

"What are you going to do," Elise questioned.

"While I still have control… I am going to give back the power of the Kings." Everyone looked surprised by that. "I cannot give it to you directly… but the Elemental Stones I created should be able to hold their power until you bring them back to their rightful owners."

"Can such a thing be done," Charme asked, unsure.

"We can only try…"

"Wait," Tear intervened. "Given your condition right now… if you give up the Elemental Kings' power now, wouldn't that mean…"

"Yes… I will likely succumb to the Dark World's power," Minasa-Ratis said. Everyone looked alarmed at that.

"Hold on, you can't do that," Stella pleaded. "There must be another way!"

"I doubt there is… and even if there was, I wouldn't have the time to figure it out. It must be done. I must pay for the sins I have committed."

"What do you mean," Sana questioned. "I mean, you did so much for this world…"

"…I had a dream, once… of a peaceful world. Of bringing back the glorious days of Renoria. I heard so many stories of that place growing up in my time. I wanted to bring back that era of peace. Am I really no different from Zenth in that respect?"

"Don't you dare say that," Recette said angrily. "I don't know much about you, but I can tell you're a way nicer person than he is!"

"Maybe… but in the end, though our methods were different, our goals were the same. To use the power of the Elemental Kings to restore an era long since passed. But mankind does not need people like us, people who only foolishly dreamed of the past. That was my mistake when I fought him; those many years ago… people praised me for what I did for them… but in the end, perhaps I too simply wanted to control them through my kindness and talent, just as Zenth wanted control through power and fear. I was ready to help lead the world to a brighter path, but in the end, I had come to realize that I trusted the people no more than Zenth did.

"No… what humans need now, more than ever, are people like you. Individuals who look towards the future, not the past, for the correct answer. As brilliant as people claimed I was, I turned my back on the future and instead sought the answers in the past. Zenth could not let go of his past, and under his control, I learned that I too suffered such things. Perhaps that is the curse of all those who were part of Renoria. We desperately struggled to maintain a time that had long since faded away. Only I hid my shame with pretty words. Zenth, at least, was honest about what he wanted."

"Master," Chiffon said sadly.

"Chiffon… I am so sorry… I could not become the friend you needed the most. I failed my promise to Eolia… but I am glad that you did, in the end, find your most important person."

It came as a blow, especially to the three youngest girls, to hear this. This woman was a larger than life figure and someone many people had aspired to be like. And yet, for all their praise and placing her on a pedestal, the truth behind her actions was earth shattering to them. She was just like any other person, struggling to carve a path in life and ultimately walking down a road that even she was unsure was the correct choice, despite the fact that she chose to believe in it.

She would always be a legend, her accomplishments were no lie. But with it now came a large dose of reality into the person she was, a person they had previously only knew from books, myths and legends. None of which could ever convey the truth and motives behind her words and works.

She grasped her chest in pain, doubling over. "What's happening," Elise asked.

"He is… trying to take back control… there is no more time! Quickly!" The girls looked to one another and nodded before holding up the four Elemental Stones. Minasa-Ratis channeled her power, as a golden light surrounded her and began to break off from her, creating a sphere of elemental energy above her.

"_**No… NO! What are you doing you foolish woman!? Do you have any idea what will happen to us!?"**_

"I do… Zenth, I may have failed to stop you once… but this time, when I go down, I will take you with me. Let us be trapped in stone eternally. Never again will you terrorize this world."

"_**This… this can't happen! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!"**_ More and more of the Elemental Kings' power were leaving her body, pooling together. _**"I AM A GOD! THE GOD OF THE WORLD! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO END THIS WAY!"**_

"You are no god," Griff said. "Just a madman who couldn't handle the fact that his time was up."

"You lose, Zenth," Elise said.

"Yup, game over," Chante added.

"_**No… how!? How could my plans be ruined? How could mere mortals defeat me?"**_

"Mere mortals? Geez, don't look down on us. We are adventurers after all," Charme said.

"You would be surprised what mortals can do when we fight for something to protect," Tear explained.

"Yeppers," Recette agreed.

"And now, it's all over for you Zenth," Louie exclaimed.

As the last of the Elemental Kings' power drained away, they could see the Dark World starting to take hold of Minasa-Ratis. "It's time…"

"_**You… YOU…! THIS IS NOT OVER! DO YOU HEAR ME!? I WILL FIND A WAY OUT, AND WHEN I DO YOU WILL ALL SUFFER MY WRATH!"**_

"I highly doubt that," Stella said. "Minasa-Ratis… there are so many things I wish I could ask you…"

"I know, child," she said sadly, as the petrification crawled up her torso. "And I wish I could give you those answers. But sometimes, it is better we discover those answers on our own."

"This is," Sana began but was unable to finish speaking.

Suddenly, four lights of blue, red, green and violet shot out of the sphere, the power entering into their respective Elemental Stones. Each of the girls kept a tight hold onto the stones as they filled with the power of their respective King. It lasted for a few seconds before the entirety of their power was now safely sealed up. Each stone was brimming with power now, threatening to overflow.

"Whoa," Louie said disbelieving. He pointed to the now statue of one of history's most powerful sorceresses. She stood with a peaceful smile on her face, almost looking exactly like the one Arche had first found what felt like lifetimes ago. Except this one had the true spirit of the woman trapped within, holding back an even more dangerous one from escaping.

"Goodbye… master," Chiffon said sadly. "Arche…"

"Yeah," she said, smiling as she felt her body tiring out and demanding rest. "We won. It's finally over."

* * *

_New Skills Unlocked!_

_Stella - Grand Chaser*_

_MP Cost: 15 MP_

_Description: Stella's Chaser Spell, empowered by the Elemental King of Fire._

_Effect: Functions like the original Chaser Spell, dealing more damage and sending more fireballs to target the opponent. Increased chance to burn enemies._

_Sana - Supreme Shield*_

_MP Cost: 15 MP_

_Description: Sana's Shield Spell, empowered by the Elemental King of Water._

_Effect: Passively reduces all damage done to Sana. When casted, grants an empowered Shield Spell to all allies in the area. Prevents all Status Effects except Unconscious._

_Arche - Discharge*_

_MP Cost: 10_

_Description: Powerful Lightning attack, empowered by the Elemental King of Wind._

_Effect: At the end of a sword combo, allows Arche to deal additional damage to a target she attacks. Must have Dual Blade Style active to use._

_*Spell is only available during the Final Battle._


	33. The Journey Home

_A/N: And so here we are. The cooldown chapter, and one away from the end. Just the Epilogue is left until the story comes to a close. Still gonna work hard till the end though. Also, after factoring out all the Author's Notes, the repeated disclaimers and the 'New Skills' sections, I am happy to announce that this story has OFFICIALLY broken the 100k word mark! WOO! _

**_Malandy:_** _No, the title and the song are just a coincidence. A happy coincidence. And I do like to think that your contributions to promoting this story have helped. Whether or not it counts rereads, I may never know, but I'm not gonna care. 1000 views is a 1000 views. Anyway, I'm glad you like the climax of the story. And yes, Green is Earth and Violet is Wind. _

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Chapter 33: The Journey Home**_

* * *

In a quiet, secluded area of a forest, wildlife was abundant. The animals that lived there lived so in relative peace, the tranquil nature that surrounded them providing the illusion of safety. The air was suddenly displaced and caused the animals to scatter as a magic circle appeared and from within it, two individuals. The man and woman looked around for a few moments before the woman gave a sigh. "All clear."

"Yes, I could tell," Sauv said looking around as he stepped away from the portal which closed behind him. "You know, I must say I didn't expect you to save me after everything that happened. Considering we did trick you after all, Selene."

Selene huffed in response. "Well, considering I was planning on betraying you, I suppose we can call it even. Beyond this, we are done."

"Right, right," Sauv said. "Guess it is back to the forests for me, though I may just challenge those guys from Pensee again. They are very entertaining." Selene gave him a critical eye, but merely shook her head and started to walk away. It wasn't her fault the man seemed to have a death wish, but there would be no reasoning with him. "So, what will you do now?"

Selene stopped for a moment, looking downcast. "I… am not sure." There was no way of her to return to the Dark World, not without suffering punishment. She thought of seeking Griff out, but quickly denounced that idea in her head. "But… I do know I need to find my own path. Just like Griff did. And then maybe, one day… we will meet again." It wasn't the greatest plan she could have thought of, but it was the only plan she had. She didn't know where to even start though, so for now, she was content to simply wander around the world and take in everything she could. Hopefully, the answer would come in time.

Sensing around, she could tell the destabilizing of the elemental power was growing more chaotic. If Griff had failed… no, she would not think such things. Griff would not fail in this. She would believe in him, as she always had.

"Well, good luck with that. Maybe one day we will meet again. When that time comes, go ahead and finish what you planned to start." Sauv jumped up and climbed the trees before heading out. Selene did not watch him go, and somewhere deep down, knew that they would never cross paths again. But perhaps, she believed it would be better this way. Her own life was a mess, fallen to pieces. A self-imposed exile, with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

All that was left was to pick up the pieces and keep walking. And so, she did.

* * *

As much as the group wanted to celebrate their hard-earned victory, they were unfortunately not finished yet. Griff had stayed behind with the other demons to help bring back some order to the Dark World, as well as to face the punishment for bringing humans into the Demon Castle. The rest of the group had made their way back to their world, to the joy of the King of Scotsholm. While Arma explained what had happened in the Dark World, the rest politely declined the King's invitation to a feast to be held in their honor and headed out. The Elemental Kings were waiting for them.

Stella took a small group with her back to Abyssinia, while the rest headed to the Straits. The heat of the deserts of Abyssinia fluctuated wildly between mild days and scorching hot ones. Thankfully, having Algorn's power with them helped stabilize the areas of the desert they traveled, making it easier on them. Although the power of the Kings was held in the Elemental Stones, the girls had no idea how to properly use and regulate the power to bring back order to the world. The fact was that the existence of the Stones was the only thing keeping the entire world from complete and total collapse.

The journey across the sea was much more dangerous. In the small amount of time they had been gone, monsters of the deep were practically clawing away at the land, nearly overwhelming Russbourg and the people. Cliff had been the only person willing to sail them towards the island Legeas was on, and the group were forced to be a part of his crew as none of the other members would even go near the docks. The seas had been particularly rough, but still manageable, and the island Legeas resided on was no longer covered by the mystical mist that hid it away from the world.

Both Algorn and Legeas allowed the Stones to keep their original fraction of the power within them, knowing how important they were in playing their roles to helping them all win against Zenth. And with the opposing powers of Water and Fire restored, the seas calmed and the monsters retreated. Passage across the sea was safe again, and trade routes re-opened.

Eolia was the next Elemental to gain his powers back, as Elise, Recette and Louie descended into the depths of the Lapis Ruins to return Ignus his own. The winds blew again and the land's vitality was restored. With the power of the Kings returned to their rightful places, it would only be a matter of time before the power of the elementals was back into the world and everything would begin to right itself.

And thus, at the end of their journey to restore balance to the world, three weeks had passed…

* * *

"You know… it seems sad that you guys have to go," Recette said, speaking to Arche, Sana, and Stella within her shop. "I mean… you live all the way across the ocean. I won't even be able to visit you guys."

"I know," Sana said. "We had a lot of fun here! But we still have to go home. Our parents must be worried about us."

"Quite right," Stella said. "Elise and Chante already left with Elan and Caillou back to… well, wherever they came from. Delaying this wouldn't be any good."

"Well, for what it's worth, you are all welcome back to this shop whenever you wish," Tear said. "I'm sure we will have some very unique items in stock for you to see when you can make it."

"Thanks," Arche said. "You know, running your item shop was fun when I got to do it. I can kind of see why my dad likes doing it too. I really miss him though… we've been gone for a long time after all."

"I know… to think it's been months since we've been back to Tonkiness," Sana said. "I hope everyone back home is doing well."

"Recette." Everyone turned to see Arma coming from upstairs with Eolia next to her. "Your mother will most likely make a full recovery within the next few weeks. Physically she will be fine… but I am unsure how her mental state will be, considering she was being controlled for several years. It is likely she will have gaps in her memories. Eolia and I have done what we can but…"

"It's okay," Recette said smiling with a few tears in her eyes. Arma had promised to see to it that she would return to Pensee with Annette while the rest of them were returning the Elemental Kings' power back to their proper place. "She's back home… that's all that matters to me right now. Thanks, both of you."

"_**It is I who should be thanking you,"**_ Eolia said. _**"You have done for me… for all of us more than we can ever ask of you. Your actions saved countless lives. On behalf of all of us Kings, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."**_

"Foo, thanks Master Eolia," Chiffon said, spinning around in happiness. "Aren't you glad Arche?"

"Yeah. But um… are you sure it's really ok for us to keep the Elemental Stones? I mean, I'm glad and all, but… if something were to happen again…"

"_**Precisely why you should keep them. We created those Stones in good faith that they would pave the way to a better world. Though we are sad that they could not assist Minasa-Ratis as we hoped they would, what she said about you all is very true. People like you who will go into the future to build that better world are what are necessary. These Stones will be the foundation on what kind of world you will build. We trust you."**_

"And we thank you for that trust," Stella said. "Well, it's been fun, but we have to say goodbye sometime Arche."

"Um, yeah. Bye, thanks for everything," Arche said cheerfully.

"Foo, we'll come back one day," Chiffon said.

"Um… until we meet again then," Sana said bowing.

"Safe travels," Tear said.

"Goodbye! Make sure you don't eat all the food too fast! Oh, and tell a bunch of people about our shop too!"

"Of course!"

"So, I take it you are all ready to go?" Everyone turned at the sound of the door being opened, and were surprised to see Griff standing there. "Good. It means less waiting on you all."

"Griff, your back," Arche said in surprise.

"Indeed, why are you here," Tear asked.

"Oh? And here I thought I was always considered a customer, Fairy," he said in a somewhat mocking tone. "Changed your mind all of a sudden?"

"You know that's not what I meant," the fae said somewhat annoyed.

"We thought you would still be in the Dark World is all," Recette said.

Griff shook his head and sighed. "I am banished," he said simply, to everyone's amazement. "Though the circumstances were extraordinary, I still broke the rule of no bringing humans into the Castle. Thankfully, it's only a temporary one, so I will be able to go back in twenty-five years," he said shrugging. "Considering I still have a lot of work to do, this doesn't derail my plans any."

"Hold on, what did you mean by what you said earlier," Stella asked. "Are you… coming with us?"

"Considering it was partially my fault for bringing you here and not simply breaking your legs to keep you from following me, it's only fair I accompany you and see you return safely." He turned and began to walk out. "I will be waiting at the gates. Don't take long." With that he was gone.

"Merde… he can't just say what's on his mind, can he," Tear said.

"Well… it is Griff," Recette said smiling nervously.

"Wait, wait, what was that whole leg breaking part…" Arche questioned.

"Best not to think of it," Stella said wisely. "Let's be off then!"

And so with their final goodbyes, the three girls began their long trip home.

* * *

Aria hummed as she worked on dusting the shelves of her shop. A tedious task in any situation, but it was good at killing the hours when there was a lull in the day and there were no customers around. Not that she had much of a chance to dust around in the middle of the day in recent weeks. The past month had some crazy weather patterns, and her sister Elma had said something dangerous was happening and that people shouldn't be leaving town. As it was, everyone could feel something was wrong and many were buying all sorts of things for emergencies.

The last week though, things had been settling down again. The monster activity, which had been steadily surging upwards, began to calm down again and Elma's feelings of paranoia were diminishing. Speaking of her sister, Aria could see her lying about on a countertop, looking bored of all things. "Elma, why not go read a book or something," she said, a bit worried for her sister's well-being.

"I've done nothing but read books these last few weeks. Even I need a break sometimes," the fairy said. She gazed out towards the window, as if expecting to see something there.

"I hope Elise and Chante are okay out there," Aria said. It wasn't the first time she had expressed her worries for the two sisters ever since they left those months ago with Elan. "Things were getting really bad out there not that long ago."

"I'm sure they are fine," Elma said, trying to dismiss her worries. Truthfully, she was also a bit concerned, knowing how spur-of-the-moment Chante could be. But at least one of them had to keep a level head at all times. "Those two are strong, and they likely met up with just as strong people."

Their musings were cut short when the door to the shop opened and a voice rang out. "Aria? Elma? We-.'

"We're back," Chante's voice shouted out over her sister's, flying in. "Did you miss us?"

"Well, there goes my peaceful nights," Elma said.

"Welcome back," Aria said, reaching over and giving Elise a hug. She then noticed the other two who had entered the shop as well. "Elan, so nice to see you again. And who is your friend there?"

"Hey, long time no see," Elan said good naturedly, giving a smile and wave. "This would happen to be my magician friend I told you guys about, Caillou. Caillou, this is Aria and Elma, the other two I told you about."

"Very nice to meet you," Aria said smiling.

"Same here," Elma said floating over. "Whoa, I've never met someone so young with that much magical power before. Impressive for a kid."

"Well, at least some people recognize my talents," he said shooting a glare to Chante.

"Are you still upset over that? Geez, this is why your just a brat," the fairy said.

"Chante…"

"So I trust everything went well then? The Elemental power has been improving slowly but surely."

"You bet," Elan said while Caillou began to remove items from his pack and set them aside. "Caillou is going to need some time to set everything up, so we'll fill you in on the details in the meanwhile." Elan and Elise began to talk of what had occurred on their journey, with Chante jumping in every now and again to add 'dramatic tension' as she liked to call it. Elise showed off her Adventurer's Card, which marked her as an official Adventurer backed by Pensee's Adventurer Guild. They spoke of meeting the Elemental Kings and their inevitable quest to save them which took them all over several continents including the Dark World.

The duo listened throughout it all, Elma looking quite impressed at some of the feats they managed to pull off.

"So to think that was what really happened to her… I've heard lots of rumors about it, but the enemy was far too crafty this time. Still, it's quite the shame that Minasa-Ratis had to meet her end in such a way," Elma said. "I would have loved to meet her though. The magic theories we could have shared…"

"Bah, leave it to you to make meeting someone famous sound boring," Chante said.

"Oh please, just because you are uncultured doesn't mean you can expect everyone else to be."

Elise saw it coming the moment the other fairy finished speaking, as she grabbed Chante and held tight as the fairy tried to lunge at her. "Uncultured! I'll show you uncultured! Sis, put me down!"

"If you are done rambling," Caillou said, standing before a large magic circle that had been drawn on the ground with chalk, "I have things set up now." He pointed to various items that were placed in several spots. "These things are already hard enough to come by so I'd rather we get this over with as soon as possible."

"Great! So this spell of yours, you really think it will work," Elma said.

"I don't know."

"Wait what!? You said you figured it out," Chante said in disbelief.

"I did figure it out. The problem is I have no practice with this spell and I don't have any previous experience to go by. Ultimately, the spell might even fail or nothing will happen. This is a big risk already, but it's the closest thing I have to a real answer to your problem. Trust me, I had to look in some really unsavory books within the Forbidden Section of the Magician Guild's library to find the spell and even then I don't have any recorded instance of this spell ever being used. I might even be the first one since the spell was invented to use it."

"Well, magic is always considered risky no matter how well prepared you are," Elma said.

"Oh great, it's a match made in heaven," Chante said rubbing her temple. "Just what I need, someone else to bore me."

"But do you think you can make it work," Elan asked.

"Only one way to find out… also please note that this is a one-time thing. I don't have enough materials to try it again a second time if it fails. Are you prepared for this?"

"You bet! We didn't journey all this way for nothing," Chante said.

"Elma please be careful," Aria said worried.

"Relax, I'm sure things will go well enough."

"Alright then, go ahead and the both of you stand in the center." Chante and Elma flew down and stood side by side within the magic circle, as Caillou raised his staff and focused his magic. The circle began to glow as it filled with power. "Let's begin."

* * *

The town of Tonkiness had seen its fair share of excitement, despite being rather out of the way in many cases. Several months ago, a demon known as the Dark Witch had terrorized the nearby school in an attempt to gain the power of the Elemental Stones for her own nefarious ends. Not long after she had been thwarted, did another mysterious person come and set off a chain of events that caused two of its residents to leave the town and essentially disappear for months on end.

When the message from Stella's butler and head maid had come, people assumed that Arche and Sana would return within a week. Their parents would be upset that they simply left like that, without really telling anyone where they were going, but it was for a friend and they wouldn't be too harsh in their scolding. After two weeks went by, people were starting to worry. No word had been mentioned from them about what was happening, so a few people went out to try and see if something was holding them up.

By the time the end of the first month had happened, everyone in town was starting to panic. Investigations were made and a search party organized. Eventually it came to be found that the three girls had left the continent entirely. With no real way of knowing where they had gone or how to contact them, the people could only pray they remained safe, even as the very world around them was threatening to break apart at the seams from the loss of the Elemental Kings' powers.

So it must have come as a surprise when one of the local guards witnessed seeing the missing girls heading to town, led by the mysterious Half-Demon. An alarm was raised, and most of the town quickly made their way to greet the four who were entering.

"Arche!"

"Sana!"

The group were surrounded by the people of town, as everyone began to ask questions at the same time. None of them seemed to know what to do for the moment, being a bit overwhelmed by the positive response of being welcomed home.

"Arche!" Arche turned at hearing her name being called as she noticed her parents running up to her. Her mother instantly reached out and gave her a hug, holding her tightly. "Arche, you're safe…"

Not far behind was Sana's mother, who also embraced the young girl. "Sana, where in the world have you been? Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

"Young lady, you are in big trouble," Arche's father said looking sternly at his daughter. He was about to launch into a tirade of punishments when Griff stepped forwards. He looked surprised at seeing him, and even more so when he recalled just who he was. "You… you came to my shop before. I remember you. Are you the one who took my precious girl away?"

"Dad, please, we can explain everything. Griff didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, I would much prefer that we have this discussion with only the most relevant parties in attendance," he said, walking ahead. Arche's and Sana's family looked apprehensive at going with him, but the girls quickly managed to drag their parents with them as Griff made his way towards the school. They completely bypassed the monsters on the way there, not that any of them would have been a threat to them in any way. Once they arrived, the girls noticed just how late in the day they had arrived, as school was mostly empty. Standing at the entrance was their teacher, Ms. Sophia and the school's principal. Neither one of them looked surprised at seeing them all here though.

"Er, Griff?"

"I took the liberty of sending a letter to your school, seeing as they should also be the ones to hear this. Everything began for us here, after all."

"Arche, Sana, Stella," Ms. Sophia said looking stern. "Thank you for bringing them back safely. I trust you have an explanation for all this then?"

"I do, but it's a bit of a long story. Believe me when I say that every last bit of it is true."

The group went inside and after settling down in one of the classrooms, Griff began his tale, starting from the beginning when he had noticed the power of the Elementals weakening and his journey to Tonkiness after hearing about the Dark Witch. He spoke of tracking down Selene and his relation to her as a fellow Demon. Of how he convinced the Elemental Chiffon to come with him which led to Arche, Sana and Stella following him to return him. Of their trip to Pensee and how he began to look for more clues as to the cause of what was happening.

The three girls took over their own parts, of Stella searching for the Elemental King of Earth. Of what they learned and Arche's attempt to rescue the Elemental King of Wind from the Dark World. Of Sana's trip across the sea and Stella's journey through the desert to find the remaining Kings and piece together all the puzzles. Of how they came to the conclusion of what was happening and how to stop it. Of the friends, the trails, the monsters they fought, and the struggle through the Dark World and the Demon Castle. With the only exception of not revealing Minasa-Ratis's part in the whole thing, everything else was laid bare. After all, the woman's body was only used as a vessel for Zenth and she had little to do with what happened except for helping to seal the Evil away. They felt it best to leave her as the myth she was, especially considering the school was named after her.

Everyone was silent as they finished their tale, as they explained they had spent the last month returning the power of the Elemental Kings. "Unbelievable," Arche's father stated.

"Yet true," Griff said. "Whether or not you believe it doesn't disprove what we said.

"Well, the journey is over for now," Stella said. "I doubt anything like this would happen again for a while yet."

"So… the question is, how long are you punished for."

"But Dad-!"

"You are grounded Arche, no question. You have no idea how worried sick we were about what happened. I know I promised to be a bit more lenient about your adventuring habits, but this was way out of line."

"The same for you Sana. I am very disappointed in you for just running off without telling anyone," her mother said. "As for Stella… well, I doubt we can say much…"

"I'd rather not worry. Undoubtedly my father will have something to say as soon as he gets home."

"Aw man…"

"Foo… too bad Arche," Chiffon said.

"You are punished with Arche too Chiffon," Arche's mother said, causing the Wind Elemental to look surprised.

"Well, at least it can't get any worse, right," Sana said.

"Oh don't be so sure about that," Ms. Sophia said with a rather devious smirk. "After all, you all missed several months of classes. All of which you can make up for in detention, every day after school until you are caught up with the rest of the class. That includes all the homework you missed."

"Wait, what," Stella sounded surprised.

"Aw man… Sana you jinxed it," Arche moaned out.

Griff wanted to laugh at the predicament they had gotten themselves into, but held off. It wouldn't be good for his image to appear anything other than completely in control of himself before these people. "If my work here is done, I need to get going back now. I definitely need to take on a few jobs with Pensee's Adventurer's Guild to make up for all the money I've had to waste." Griff looked at the girls and nodded. "Despite our differences, you three did admirably in protecting this world. I look forwards to seeing your growth. Maybe next time you'll last longer than five minutes against me."

"Hey, we didn't do that bad," Arche said.

"Please. The next time we fight, I'll be able to take you on myself," Stella boasted.

Griff allowed a rare smile to cross his face before turning and walking out. There was still a number of things to do once he got back to Pensee, but he was certain things would take a turn for the better soon. In the meantime, all he could do was continue to become stronger.

"Bye Griff," Arche said.

"We'll see you again someday," Sana said.

As they watched Griff head out, Arche couldn't help but be sad that the adventure was over. Especially now that she had both detention and was grounded by her parents, which meant no more adventures for a while. Still, she was glad to be home, with her friends and family by her side. And perhaps it was better for her to rest after such a long journey filled with danger and new friends, memories and promises to keep.

After all, life was one big adventure for Arche. And she wouldn't have it any other way.


	34. Days Gone By

_A/N: Well, everyone... here we are. The last chapter. First and foremost, I want to thank EVERYONE who helped make this possible. All the reviewers, the favs and followers, and the readers who stopped by. You guys gave me a lot of courage to keep this story going. I'm glad I could make it to this point. Special thanks to Malandy for the constant reviews and the free advertizing. You get a Double Chocolate Chip Internet Cookie. Thank you all.  
_

_So, did you all like this story? Want more? Well, I've got plenty of other stories on this site and plenty of ideas in my head. Will I make a sequel to this? Maybe. Do YOU want to make a sequel to this? Go ahead. I do hope this story will inspire some people to write. Even if its not a Recettear or Chantelise or Fortune Summoners story, if you have an idea, try to write it out. I encourage everyone to try their hand._

_In the meantime, I've got another story idea I want to write. I'll be putting it up on this site too. Keep a look out for it!_

_**Snidne, OUT!**_

_**Fortune Summoners: Journey of the Elementals**_

_**By: Snidne**_

_**Fortune Summoners © Lizsoft**_

_**Recettear, Chantelise © EasyGameStation**_

Standard Disclaimer:

All characters are copyrighted to their respective owners and do not in any way, shape, or form reflects the nature of said owners (Unless, of course, they actually do).

This story is a work of fiction and is not meant to resemble any person, place, or situation outside of sheer coincidence.

Due to the nature of this story, it is intent for Mature Audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

You have been warned.

We now present you our Feature Presentation with no commercial interruptions. Enjoy the story!

_**Epilogue: Days Gone By**_

* * *

_**Aria's Home  
**_

"…_Hey sis? You're still awake?"_

"_Oh? I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"_

"_No, no, but you should get some sleep. Hm? What's that you got there?"_

"_Ah… I was thinking of writing a book about our journey. The first part, before we met with Elan. I thought it would make a good fantasy novel and maybe help us earn a living. I mean, we can't exactly fight monsters forever, and we shouldn't take advantage of Aria and Elma's kindness."_

"_Sounds cool! Maybe I can help you remember some of the more exciting details. But, why fantasy? I mean all that stuff really did happen to us…"_

"_Yeah… but I doubt anyone would believe that it's true. It might sell better this way."_

"_I guess that makes sense… So, what's the book going to be called?"_

"_I haven't decided yet. I was thinking of that just now."_

"_I know! We can call it… Chantelise!"_

"…"

"…_What?"_

"_Nothing… it's just… I'd rather we not use our own names for this."_

"_Meh, I thought it was a good name…"_

"_It's ok, Chante. I just thought of one myself. 'The Tale of Two Sisters'."_

"_That's pretty good… hey, maybe we can send a few copies to Recette! If she sold them at her store it would definitely become popular!"_

"_True… plus we'd get to see Elan and the others again."_

"_Ah, ah! Does my little sister have a crush I dare say?"_

"_W-w-what!? Chante!"_

"_Hehehe. No worries. Your big sister will protect you from creepy guys!"_

"_Elan isn't creepy… just… older."_

"_Details, details. So… how's the story coming?"_

"_It's ok… 'It began with tales of the night of the Red Moon. Two girls headed into the woods, despite the warnings they received that a terrible curse would befall them should they wander from the safety of the village.'"_

"_You know… I kind of miss it… that place we called home. Do you think we should ever go back?"_

"_You know we can't… even though the curse is lifted, we wouldn't be accepted so easily. Besides, we have a nice life here. Why ruin it?"_

"_I guess so…"_

"_Besides, there are still journeys for us to take. Although you should probably be taking your magic lessons more seriously."_

"_Ugh, don't remind me… I swear, I think Elma makes up stuff to torture me. Man, this magic thing would probably be a lot easier if I was still a fairy…"_

"_I'm just glad Caillou's spell worked… to think it's been a month since then. Time sure flies."_

"_I'll say. Well, I'm heading to bed. Goodnight, sis."_

"_Goodnight, Chante."_

* * *

_**Recettear, Pensee**_

"_Alright! Ready to go! Bye Tear, bye mom!"_

"_Be careful honey!"_

"_Don't get into trouble."_

"_Ehehehe…"_

"_There she goes again. She has been quite happier ever since you came home."_

"_I know… to think I missed so much of my little girl's life. And all those hardships she had to face. Still, I'm glad you were able to look out for her. I never would have imagined that our house would end up being such a popular shop."_

"_I… only did what I thought would work best. Given how she used to be, I'm actually surprised she made it this far."_

"_Still… Ah…."_

"_Are you ok?"_

"_I'm fine… just… fatigued. The aftershocks of the spell still haven't passed in all this time."_

"_Well, you are doing much better, considering how long you have been under his influence. Still, perhaps you should take some medicine."_

"_I'll be ok. We still have to open the shop for the day. I'm looking forward to it. Let's make lots of people happy, eh, Tear-chan?"_

"_M-merde… please don't call me that. Just Tear is fine."_

_-RING!-_

"_Ah, a customer? Well, we are opening up shop so I guess its fine. How may we… ah, it's you."_

"_Hm? Oh, the fairy. Come on, don't be that way."_

"_Ah Tear, just give her a chance, yes? How can I help you?"_

"_Wait, you don't understand…"_

"_Oh, I am the one helping you miss! I noticed walking in that you could use some of this great wallpaper! Guaranteed to help boost sales!"_

"_It looks a bit… plain."_

"_Well, that's the mystery of fashion, don't you think? After all, they say less is more! Gah! Hey!"_

"_Shoo! Be gone from this shop! At the very least don't make it so obvious!"_

"_Grr… you win this time Fae!"_

"…_Was the feather duster necessary?"_

…

…

…

"_Hey! Louie!"_

"_Hm? Ah, hey Recette. Glad you could make it."_

"_Of course! A picnic in the park with you, how could I not?"_

"_Haha, I suppose. Come on."_

"…_Hey Louie… do you think, things will stay peaceful like this?"_

"_Hm? Maybe. I don't mind a bit of excitement now and then. It's part of what being an Adventurer is."_

"_Yeah… I guess that's true. It just means more customers for us though."_

"_That reminds me, have you heard yet? Apparently there is this new dungeon that was discovered not too long ago. A few people have already tried to explore it, but they haven't made it far. They say a lot of the monsters there are stronger than even the ones in the Lapis Ruins."_

"_Wow… those ones were pretty tough too. What's this place called?"_

"_Everyone is calling it 'The Crystal Nightmare'. Seems appropriate really given where it's located. Bunch of strong monsters means there must be some serious treasure down there too. Maybe you can find something interesting for your shop."_

"_Yeah, I'm sure Tear will like that. We definitely have to go!"_

"_Yosh! Team Recette is going to conquer that dungeon! But, it might be better if you don't fight. Don't want to worry Tear too much."_

"_It's ok. After everything that happened… I think I've had my fill of fighting for a long while."_

* * *

_**Tonkiness**_

"_Whew… another day of detention done. Man, I miss going out…"_

"_It's okay Arche. Ms. Sophia says in a few weeks we'll be all caught up."_

"_But Sana, Stella is almost finished catching up!"_

"_That's because I try to pay attention in class. Honestly Arche, you'd be nearly done too if you put in half the effort into your studies as you do into sword practice."_

"_Foo, it'll be okay Arche. We can still have lots of fun at home!"_

"_I guess… I mean, I've been helping my dad out with the shop so I can get ungrounded sooner."_

"_By the way, how is your dad doing Stella?"_

"_Oh, he's fine. He's been ordered plenty of rest at home, but I have a feeling he'll be going back to work soon enough. The company isn't something that can manage itself. He did say he would be trying to come home more often though. He really wants to meet you three."_

"_Yeah, I want to meet him too. He sounds pretty cool."_

"_Anyway, I should be getting home now… it's already late and it will likely be dinner time by the time I get to the manor. I'll see you both tomorrow."_

"_Bye Stella. I should get going home too. I'll see you later Arche."_

"_Bye Sana. Let's go home Chiffon."_

"_Foo!"_

…

…

…

"_Hey, Arche… do you think we will ever see our other friends again?"_

"_Of course. We promised to visit them, right? Maybe my dad will get inspired by Recette's shop. Oh, and we got to see what Chante looks like un-cursed! I bet she looks super cool like Elise and Louie!"_

"_Foo… well, I'll be happy so long as we stick together."_

"_Hehehe! Yup, friends forever, you and me Chiffon!" *GLOMP!*_

"_Hehehe! Arche, that tickles!"_

"_Ok, ok… let me just… here! Now take this message to Sana, okay?"_

"_You know, I don't think your dad will like it if he found out you were having me send messages in the middle of the night…"_

"_It's ok. What he doesn't know won't hurt us! Hurry back!"_

"_Ok!"_

"…_Everything is really quiet… but… I kind of like that. One day… I'll definitely be a real adventurer. Just watch… Eolia, I'll definitely build the world of peace. It's a promise."_

* * *

"So… this is how you finally met your end, huh?" A figure stood at the top of the central tower of the Demon Castle, looking at the serene image of Minasa-Ratis, the true person frozen in place by the power of the Dark World. "A shame, really. To think that someone of your caliber could have lost. Then again, I'm not surprised. Someone like you was never fit to rule the world.

"I remember, back then… to think that the person who sought me out in that fake body was really the man of legend. Zenth, the human who formed a pact with my ancestors for power. I'm not sure what they saw in you, but I suppose it is only fitting that my family is the one to have defeated you. I suppose that's partly why you knew so much about this world, and how to go about stealing the power of the Elementals. Well, when we saw you fail, we scraped the plan as well. We hoped to steal it from you and from there, the Demons would have won completely. Times certainly change though. Even I could not have foreseen our decline."

"King Faust." The figure turned, revealing it to be a Demon, one who bore a striking resemblance to a certain banished Half-Demon. "There you are. The newest General has arrived and is waiting for you."

"Ah… my replacement. Very well, I will be down shortly." The other demon nodded, taking a curious glance at the statue before turning and walking back down. Faust faced the statue once more. "You certainly did well, my son. You have done all of Demon-kind a great service." He glared at the statue. "I should destroy you… but I know better. Your spirit will survive this world… but so long as it is bound to that body, you are trapped here."

Faust, Griff's father, walked down the tower. _Farewell, abomination._

From the statue's figure, a sickly black aura began to pulse around it briefly before fading away. _**"Fool… one day… I will be free… I will… have my revenge…"**_

A pulse of light escaped the statue as if in response. _"Do not think I will allow that."_

"_**You will not keep me chained forever…"**_

"_Maybe not… but I believe in them. They will stop you, no matter how hard you try."_ With that, Zenth remained silent. He knew it would take time before he could try to break free. Minasa-Ratis knew this too. But she was not worried. Even if he could, she believed in the ones left behind. The amazing people she managed to meet and convince her that the path to the future was secured.

The days went by… and the world continued to enjoy its hard earned peace.


End file.
